Been listening to this little treasure all week.

Following their meeting at a show by Brooklyn band The Death Set in 2006, Mary Pearson and Rob Barber put solo music projects on hold to begin High Places. ‘I Was Born’ marks the duo’s second release on Brooklyn’s Thrill Jockey Records – a follow up to 2008′s self titled debut album.

Basoon, beats, voice, electric guitar, glockenspeil and samples – ‘I Was Born’ builds from the former (Mary, a clasically-trained bassoonist) to a layering of all the above. Something the band highlight in interviews is their sense of collaboration – passing ideas and building music on a joint feeling – “Everything about High Places is 50/50 with the two of us. We often have different responsibilities, but our importance is always very equal.” (Mary Pearson). It comes out here in the beats/voice play-off. And after all this musical build-up there’s the words to pull you in too: ‘I love your selflessness. But baby, I was born ‘

From these two sides – the combination of music and vocals, ‘I Was Born’ winds itself moving around lyrics on birth, coming into being and what happens from there. In a recent piece on the band’s blog, Mary Pearson gives more thought to this: posting a message sent to her by friend Beau Valesco of The Death Set who died in September this year. In the piece was the line ‘Iwant to grow younger in my mind and spirit and let my body do what it will’, it could be what the duo are going for here…

Music for your existential dance party.

Check out the video:

High Places – I Was Born from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.

7/10

By Joe Holtaway