Review: Zirafa – Turnstyles

Turnstyles starts off nicely with breaking glass and electronics, somewhat reminiscent of what Depeche Mode did with “Blasphemous Rumor.” The second track, “Lost,” however, hints at something far more than interesting with its lighthearted piano giving way into distorted guitars and washed vocals. There is something slightly hip-hop by way of jazz in the drums that seems to pull the loosest of threads together. It’s sparse and beautiful, noisy and disjointed, but it works rather well. Then you hit track six and it all goes astray. The cheese jazz of “Flipcut [pt. 1]” is unbearable, so much so that even though the remaining tracks are better, the slightest hint of smooth jazz negates everything around it. Had it been a six- or seven-track EP, I would have been all the happier. As it is, I’m just reminded that some things are best left forgotten.