Reviews (page 2 of 8)
I'm always embarrassed that i kinda like everything at urban outfitter
One of the most unique albums I’ve ever heard
Exzellent. Erinnert manchmal an Phasen von Björk
It's lovely to listen to an album that has already lived inside my bones, with words that flow out of me without a second thought. I haven't listened to this all the way through in years but it still feels as dreamlike and bold.
holy shit was i missing out!! the tightest album ive ever heard. not a note out of place. hearing each song after the other was so exciting and refreshing. wish it was longer tbh
Classic
In the beginning, the rhythm, pace and tone are almost chaotic but somehow comes together beautifully as the album goes on. Overall, I enjoyed the playfulness and unique sounds.
This is a rare album that despite being very adventurous and experimental, is still digestible and even catchy at times. Amber and Angel's vocals are frequently almost too good -- They outshine some truly outstanding guitar work and composition. The vocal harmonies are gorgeous and entrancing. The hocketing (a technique I learned from this album) sounds otherworldly. It's not perfect. The last song drags a bit for me. I'm conflicted, but I think I've been a bit stingy recently, so I'm going to go with... Light 5.
Very unique, poppy rock. They play with the tempo a lot. Interesting. 5/5
Modern masterpiece
Such an awesome, inventive album that makes for great sing-a-longs
Impressive prog rock, reminiscent of Yes and Bjork. Fascinating chords.
A really good album, I liked Stillness Is The Move, Two Doves, Useful Chamber and Fluorescent Half Dome the most.
Can’t quite remember how I first came to listen to this album, but it’s been a firm favourite of mine since it was released. At the time, I hadn’t heard anything really like it. It had that ramshackle naughties sound but way more eccentric than the likes of Arcade Fire and even Animal Collective. It still sounds as fresh as hell. Even though I had listened to it only last week, I was still really happy to have a reason to listen to it again.
Her var det en god blanding av mye fantastisk, som samler seg til en enhet uten å kun være plukk fra diverse steder. Her hører man Lindsey Buckinghams kaotiske og gnistrende produksjon fra Tusk. Her er Peter Gabriels Genesis, litt Sondre Lerche og selvfølgelig Brian Wilson og Animal Collective. Dette er kompromissløst og tøft, og selv med alle de åpenbare koblingene klarer albumet å finne sin helt egen sound. Digger!
Never heard of Dirty Projectors, but it blew my mind. Finding an album like this is the reason, why I joined this club. Fav: Remade Horizon
# In-Depth Review of Dirty Projectors' *Bitte Orca* ## 🎵 Overview *Bitte Orca* is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Dirty Projectors, released on June 9, 2009, by Domino Records. The album title combines the German word "bitte" (please) and "orca" (killer whale), chosen for its phonetic appeal rather than literal meaning . Led by frontman David Longstreth, the album represents a creative peak for the band, blending avant-garde experimentation with accessible pop sensibilities. It received widespread critical acclaim and remains a landmark release in indie music. --- ## 📝 Lyrics The lyrics on *Bitte Orca* are abstract, intellectually dense, and often enigmatic. Longstreth's songwriting explores themes of existentialism, human connection, and the interplay between nature and technology. For example: - **"Stillness Is the Move"** ponders philosophical questions like *"Where did time begin? Where does space end?"* , reflecting on the nature of existence. - **"Cannibal Resource"** uses surreal imagery (*"Look around at everyone, everyone looks alive and waiting"*) to critique consumerism or societal expectations . - **"Useful Chamber"** features the mantra-like repetition of *"Bitte Orca, Orca Bitte,"* which Longstreth has described as a plea or invocation, though its meaning remains open to interpretation . While the lyrics are often criticized for being overly cerebral or emotionally distant, they complement the album's experimental nature by encouraging listeners to find their own meanings . --- ## 🎶 Music The music on *Bitte Orca* is a genre-defying fusion of art-rock, Afrobeat, R&B, and classical influences. Key musical elements include: - **Vocal Harmonies**: Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian's vocal performances are central to the album's sound. Their harmonies are intricate, often weaving around each other in complex patterns, as heard in **"Remade Horizon"** and **"Stillness Is the Move"** . - **Guitar Work**: Longstreth's guitar playing draws from African tunings and math rock, characterized by fingerpicked melodies and sudden shifts in rhythm (**"Temecula Sunrise"**) . - **Rhythm and Percussion**: The album features unconventional time signatures and percussive textures, though some critics note that the percussion lacks innovation compared to other elements . - **String Arrangements**: Songs like **"Two Doves"** incorporate string quartets, adding a baroque elegance to the album . Tracks like **"Useful Chamber"** showcase the band's ability to merge these elements into a cohesive yet unpredictable whole, transitioning from woozy synths to explosive crescendos . --- ## 🎛️ Production Produced by David Longstreth, the album's production is clean, precise, and hi-fi, often compared to Steely Dan's meticulous studio craftsmanship . Key features include: - **Layering**: Each track is densely layered with vocal harmonies, guitars, synths, and strings, creating a rich tapestry of sound . - **Dynamic Range**: Songs like **"Useful Chamber"** build tension through dynamic shifts, from quiet verses to chaotic climaxes . - **Clarity**: Despite its complexity, the production ensures that each instrument and vocal line remains distinct, allowing listeners to appreciate the album's intricate arrangements . The production strikes a balance between accessibility and experimentation, making the album's challenging moments feel intentional and polished . --- ## 🧠 Themes *Bitte Orca* explores several overarching themes: 1. **Duality**: The interplay between opposites—organic vs. synthetic, chaos vs. order—is reflected in the album's title and musical contrasts . 2. **Human Connection**: Songs like **"Two Doves"** and **"Stillness Is the Move"** touch on relationships and emotional vulnerability . 3. **Creativity and Innovation**: Longstreth has described the album as an "homage" to his bandmates, highlighting their individual talents while creating a unified sound . The album's abstract lyrics and genre-blending music reinforce these themes, inviting listeners to engage with its ideas on multiple levels . --- ## 📈 Influence *Bitte Orca* has had a significant impact on indie and experimental music: - It inspired artists like Solange and tUnE-yArDs, who incorporated its vocal and rhythmic innovations into their work . - The album helped define the "Brooklyn art-rock" scene of the late 2000s, alongside releases by Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear . - Its fusion of R&B and art-pop (**"Stillness Is the Move"**) paved the way for later genre-blending experiments by artists like FKA twigs and Moses Sumney . Despite its niche appeal, *Bitte Orca* remains a touchstone for musicians seeking to balance experimentation with melodic accessibility . ## ✅ Pros and Cons ### Pros: 1. **Innovative Sound**: The album's genre-blending approach feels fresh and unpredictable, combining African rhythms, R&B, and classical elements . 2. **Vocal Performances**: Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian's harmonies are technically impressive and emotionally captivating . 3. **Production Quality**: The clean, detailed production enhances the album's complexity without overwhelming the listener . 4. **Thematic Depth**: The lyrics and music explore abstract ideas while remaining engaging . ### Cons: 1. **Lyrical Obscurity**: Some listeners may find the lyrics overly intellectual or emotionally distant . 2. **Vocal Divisiveness**: Longstreth's voice—often compared to David Byrne or Antony Hegarty—can be polarizing . 3. **Inconsistent Accessibility**: Tracks like **"Fluorescent Half Dome"** may feel less cohesive compared to standout songs like **"Stillness Is the Move"** . ## 🏁 Conclusion *Bitte Orca* is a groundbreaking album that rewards repeated listens. Its strengths—innovative songwriting, stunning vocal arrangements, and meticulous production—far outweigh its minor flaws. While not every moment lands perfectly, the album's ambition and creativity make it a essential listen for fans of experimental music. It remains Dirty Projectors' most influential and acclaimed work, a testament to David Longstreth's vision and the band's collective talent .
Unique music, vocalization, harmonies...All in all, a great album that warrants its appreciation. I was impressed with every song, but especially Stillness Is The Move. Every song was great not just good. Stillness was exceptional on an exceptional album.
Pretty good
I have loved this album since it came out. I don't think it is perfect, but I'd give it a 4.5, as I think it does blend several things into something really special. It obviously is very inspired by 60's "outsider folk" and a lot of chamber music plus a lot of avant garde and elements of noise rock in the way it disrupts the rhythms and challenges the listener with new sounds and melodies.
At first I tried to like this and it didn't work. But then I tried to dislike it and that DEFINITELY didn't work. Secretly, I loved it the whole time
162/1089 - This really doesn't sound like the album cover. In fact, it really takes don't judge a book by it's cover to another level. I thought I'd dislike this based on the description (odd-time signatures, strings, indie, math-rock, etc.) but it was really well executed and the string sections were CHAMBER strings and not ORCHESTRAL which was nice. Gives it a more intimate feel and allows for more striking counterpoint. One issue I noticed is many of the songs are in G major right in a row but it's just a minor complaint. Overall, I feel like I learned something today. P.S. Does the above sincerity read too millennial? I'm a zillennial so I should probably balance it out with some zoomer-speak: Jacob Collier if he was good at music 😎" Nah but seriously I enjoyed this.
Def in my top 3 albums by a “rock band” to come out in the decade known as the 2000s.
Nothing sounds like the Dirty Projectors, and this is them at their peak.
I really enjoyed this album. I know Jeff has been a huge fan of this artist for years but they were never really on my radar. I love that they have a similar musical complexity to Vampire Weekend but without the preppy New England vibe. The songs all felt really vibrant and different from one another without sacrificing cohesiveness.
Really liked this, can tell it's a new york type band but that didn't put me off too much!
понравилось, вайбово. напомнило кинг гизард и gotye
Very interesting listen. Was not familiar with beforehand but really enjoyed
'And what hits the spot, yeah, like Gatorade?'; 'Please don't defend a silver lining / Around the halo of what is already shining'; 'Maybe you meant no intention.' Hard to describe, sure, but not hard to feel. Lyrically is where this album has every opportunity to break down, but it never does, saved not only by the stunningly balanced instrumentation, but by the words themselves, which are authentically poetic, drifting enuf into outer space for me to want to do the work to ground them, a challenge that pays off in the end. Longstreth can sing all he wants about a 'fluorescent half dome' and I'll trust that there is, indeed, intention behind it. And not that intention is all what matters when the music is sheer pleasure - guilty if anything.
This is quite quirky, and I like how experimental it is.
This album offers a precise glimmering slice of what so many have tried to offer before. Those of us with ears hungry for something different have often chased after those flawed gems loving them for their brave imperfections. On Bitte Orca you can hear your pick of past exemplars, I have mine but you'll have your own I imagine. I almost don't want to let slip the things I hear. I don't want to narrow the view of this wonderful kaleidoscope. So, just know that x, y, and z or foo, bar and baz are all experimentally sliding around inside an idiosyncratic chamber of delights — a full range of feelings available if you care to spend the time with these Dirty Projectors.
This is one of the weirdest albums I've heard in a while and I loved every second of it. I wanna listen to more of the Dirty Projectors now!
Kind of catchy
Never hear of this band. This is great. I don’t have words to describe it. I hear so many influences coming together and it all sounds and feels so fresh. “The bride” is a great track. At 5:40 in “useful projector” I love the fuzz sounds. Seriously I love this album.
One of my favorite albums of someone I’ve never heard of
Loved it
Não conheço, terei que ouvir.
So chill
A wonderful work that expands artistic pop exploring the ordinary in an extraordinary way. The music is complex but still infectous. Love it.
LOVED!
Love this album, I listened to this album so much back in the day. Stillness in the Move is still one of my all time favorite songs.
Isn't life under the sun just a crazy, crazy dream? Surprised this has such a low average because I think it's brilliant! A very nice blend of experimental and catchy. I particularly like the wonky sounding guitar riffs and vocal melodies. Standout tracks: Cannibal Resource, Temecula Sunrise, Stillness is this Move, Useful Chamber, Fluorescent Half Dome
This was nice. Has some ups and downs but overall enjoyed a lot
This one caught me off guard, great album all the way. I really like the funky rhythms with the starts and stops and how they fill the space but it still seems sparse, if that makes sense. Every instrument from vocals, guitar, to percussion seems to have a unique spin on it that makes you listen a little more closely.
р а з Ъ ё БББББ
Such a good album. Experimental yet very listenable and catchy with BANGERS!!!
I am a sucker for interesting vocal harmonies, and this manages to be cool and pretty and diverse and fun and fascinating and just all around awesome.
So original, great fun, catchy and edgy. Brilliant
Lush, complicated, fresh
Stillness is the Move is one of my favourite songs, but I’ve never listened to the other songs on this album. I really like the unique sound of the whole album, I’ll definitely be revisiting this album. 5/5
One of my favorite indie rock albums of all time. 2009 the GOAT year. The guitar and vocal harmonies on this one are chef’s kiss.
The mix is crisp and creates nice separation while bringing elements forward as punctuation or focal points. Strings, electronics, and acoustic guitar all work together. The harmonized backup vocals are inventive and unique. Lots of flavor of world music African guitar and beats. Vampire Weekend influence for obvious reasons (roots in Ali Farka Touré?). Vocals have similarities to Jeff Buckley, or is that just me?
I listened to this a lot when it came out. It didn't sound like anything i was listening to at the time. I loved it then and i love it now.
crazy good alternative album just a 10/10 for creativity alone actually amazing
Awesome album! Very unique, vocals are different but fit the feel very well. Loved it.
I couldn’t get into the earlier Dirty Projectors releases, but Bitte Orca was one of my favorite releases of 2009. The songs were more conventional in structure than past works but maintained the eclectic playfulness that Dirty Projectors was known for. While there is a lot going on throughout the release, it somehow is all grounded. Well done.
I listed to it many times in a row.
Try it, you'll like it!
This was a fun new find. Erratic and disorienting at times, but energetic and fun and compelling.
Enjoyable but the lead singer has an annoying Devandra Banhart quality to their singing that I found annoying after awhile. Still I enjoyed this one overall
Weird but weirdly enjoyable. The band name was familiar but that was all I knew about them.
This sounds like 2009 but I like it
2 albums and counting today (trying to catch up ) Dirty Projectors- Bitte Orca I bought this when it came out but haven’t listened to it for 17 years. Good album, a little arty but the tunes are there. Probably won’t listen to it again though Standout track: Stillness Is the Move ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I'll listen to again
I hadn’t listened to this in years, and wow, what a treat. Intricate, complex guitar work, clever drums, crazy vocals and harmonies. A really cool record that over-performed my memory of it.
Some of the songs very much remind me of my indie teenage years - quite experimental really upon full listen!
It's a pretty good album. It combines rock music with pop to get this synth-y rock sound, although some of the songs are more pop-oriented. Overall, it's a decent album.
It was good. It was very experimental and well executed 🫡👍. Overall, I would give this album a 3.9/5! 😱🌱🍃🌷🫠.
I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll bump up to a 4, though I think I’d prefer to stay at a 3.5. It’s a good set of tracks. By the back half, though, it’s just not a very cohesive album, at least in terms of a natural track to track flow. Everything through “Two Doves” flows pretty well, and while it’s all a bit strange & slightly disjointed instrumentally, it has a charm to it. It’s trying to say something, but it doesn’t feel like it’s hitting the “big important artsy” vibe that’s stopped a lot of 2009 albums in their tracks on this list. It’s just got a fun experimental vibe to it, with some fascinating ways to frame things. “Cannibal Resource” is about the impending climate crisis being met with a universal expectation of constant familiarity from our lazy society. “Temecula Sunrise” is about the artsy hipsters taking over the rich neighborhoods of the world. “The Bride”... really doesn’t wanna get married, I guess. That one’s a bit eerie. “Stillness is The Move” is an anthem towards finding joy in being content instead of constantly moving upwards, & “Two Doves” is one of the more unique ways I’ve seen to describe a relationship starting & ending. It’s all verbosely written, to a degree, but the execution is tight enough where even if you can barely get the intent, the vibes just kinda hit right. It’s an album that feels like it’s challenging all sorts of norms, both socially & musically, and through the first 5 tracks, it succeeds well. With “Useful Chamber”, though, the way it packs its wide variety of genres into a 7 minute stretch is cool as fuck, but it just doesn’t feel quite as tight as the early execution in the album. It’s a good track, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a bit long & a bit too abstract. The concept of following a woman who sees the world with new & inventive eyes is cool, but there’s not enough meat on the bones to flesh it out in a more effective way. “No Intention” is where the album really started to lose me a bit; the repetition in the instrumental is one thing, creating a cyclical sort of musical tone, but it’s met with a cynical lyrical tone. I think the idea of “I think, but I am not sure if I truly am” is fascinating. It’s just not very effectively argued here, with thought & existence themselves boiled down to punishments & aberrations in the greater scheme of whatever life is meant to be. It’s too defeatist after the early “let’s revolutionize the world” energy the earlier tracks give. “Remade Horizon” is cool, but I had to use my imagination a bit more to really get something out of the track. The idea of being loosely haunted by someone you’re desperate to reunite with, almost to the point of a slightly broken reshaping of your world, is very interesting to me. It just feels like it needs another verse or two to really shape out the vision of the track, and match the same energy as earlier on. A track about wanting to reshape the whole world coming after a very defeatist one doesn’t flow very well though. “Fluorescent Half Dome” is about… something. I think it’s about wanting to go beyond the boundaries of perception & judgement, and still searching for a lover who will match that. It IS a cool concept, but the delivery just doesn’t feel like it has the same unique impact as it did earlier in the album. It feels a bit more forced to me, for whatever reason; something about the instrumentation just never clicked in a believable way, & the actual lyricism just felt too idealized for its own good, almost in a smugly achieved way. It didn’t really hit as a closing track to me. All of that said, the strength of the first 5 tracks here & the overall enjoyment borne out of this strange mix of eclectic styles (a hipster-y Beatles with Bjork’s sensibilities & a Peter Gabriel-esque loose prog lean at times) leaves me at a 3.5 that I’ll just barely bump up to a 4. I liked it! I do wish the album were a little tighter in the back half, or at the very least, stuck to its more appealing & consistent theme of a “quiet revolution”, but I do think it’s worth being on the list. It’s good, challenging music, done in a relatively digestible way. It’s certainly got more heart than some of the other 2009 albums we’ve had on the list & I’m glad I heard it.
Meticulously crafted, familiar, but weird. When I read the wiki page and got to the collaborators, I saw Joanna Newsom and Bjork. Yep, checks out.
Not bad at all and quite interesting at times, but this didn't seem like the best pick for a 2000s indie album. Personally I'd go for Dear Catastrophe Waitress (although three B&S albums is too many), Turn on the Bright Lights, something by Neko Case, Spoon, or Rilo Kiley. Maybe those are more conventional, but then artists like Cat Power also did stuff that isn't on the list at all
This is a very challenging album. None of the grooves are for free. Each song lays down the gauntlet for you to figure out how the songs move. Not always successful but I applaud the uniqueness and taking a big swing.
An exceptionally creative album with lots of interesting/experimental arrangements and production. Lots of cool ideas here. Will definitely listen again.
This is the most interesting album I've heard in a long time. It was atonal at times, but not excessively, and always creative. The vocals (both male and female) and guitar were an intriguing combination that I'll come back to again.
Muy guapo
Quite unconventional, but nice. 4 stars
I think this is a really cool album. It's weird and hard to describe, but it also has some elements that feel familiar enough to make it an enjoyable listen. David Longstreth's guitar work is amazing and Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian add some really cool vocal elements. Highlights for me are "Temeculah Sunrise", "Two Doves", "The Bride", and "Useful Chamber", the ending of which is just bonkers. 4.5 stars.
Interesting and pretty fun. Not a 5 and maybe not even a 4 but Im rounding up from 3.5 to give them some credit.
For some reason I really enjoyed this
One of those albums where it's kind of hard to classify it by ear. Kind of pop but something more?
Long live the wannabe Beatles hipster shit ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Have to say this is like a breath of fresh air. Bright, inventive, new, exploratory, I'm all in. When it decides to, it just rips.
I heard of this band but never actually heard them until this listen. The nonsensical album title confused me. Then I read that the lead singer liked how the words sounded together. I thought of that on both of my listens to this album and realized I really liked how they were stringing the sounds and together. I liked it a lot!
Pretty good stuff for a an old guy like me.
That journey was great and full of many adventures. Listened to twice in a row.
So fun!
4.5
Synths + classic orcestra is my weakness sounds quite modern and had some lovely sounds in there; unfortunately it's just slightly *too* ambient. A little extra energy would have gone a long way, but that's entirely my personal preference
I like this album, I can't really explain why, but it just makes me feel good to listen to it.
A little confused on the hate for this one, I thought this was pretty good. I like the production even if it can sound out of sync at times, though also wondering why there are both one male singer or two female ones
Wow I REALLY enjoyed this!!! The vocal harmonies were awesome and very unique. Sounded very 60s influenced. I liked the sound of the drums and the simplicity of the drums, bass, and guitar, and the space they left in the music. Each song kept me entertained.
A formative indie record for me. While i almost prefer some of the weirder later releases, the crazy angular playing, good harmonies and abstract song concepts made this record a must listen for indie rock/folk rock/chamber pop blends. The only "issue" I think I have with it is sometimes the songs feel more like intellectual exercises in pushing weird time signatures/playing and chord blending like direct from the heart songs. That's not really a complaint because to me, it's almost like an alien folk rock album in that way. A little impenetrable but still capturing magic.
Odd but ultimately i enjoyed it! The beat felt a bit strange and there were definitely some weird stuff going but i feel like they pulled it off for me in the end. Saved one song
Bitte Orca conjures up images of fairies deep in the forest engaged in a drum circle in the wee hours of the night. Each sound is a bit otherworldly, being played more like a medium letting spirits through it than a band. Whirling, dancing, fits of movement.
The banda biggest reach and most experimental is also - strangely - it's most listenable. There is a neverending stream of doors to open. The otherworldly harmonies are the stand out but the instrumentation is full of more surprises than Alice getting lost in a fun house. The fact that it even works at all is a tribute to the craft that underpins the art. And this is art - capital A R T.
Subtle. Wonky. Purdy.
Towards the end of the first decade of the 2000s, there was some amazing music on the go. Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear, Caribou, Deerhunter, Panda Bear, tUnE yArDs, Atlas Sound and Dirty Projectors were all making unique, interesting music that was also seriously easy and enjoyable to listen to. "Cannibal Resource" kicks things off on this album, and it's one of my all-time favorite songs. It's so weird. But I mean that in the best way possible. A heavily phased guitar sweeps in, while a sporadic bass line interrupts. That first section when the fuzz-toned guitar plays against the fantastic big beat is seriously class. I still get excited when it kicks in. David Longstreth sings the main vocal melody punctuated by ay-oh uh-woah ay-ohs from the rest of the band. It's not like anything I'd heard before. You can say the same for the rest of the album too. Structure is out the window. Guitar work is unique, often syncopated, and almost Africano sounding. Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian's swirling vocal harmonies work asynchronously to each other, flying all over the place. But it all somehow combines perfectly into some weird textured melody that works so well. Besides the opening track, other standout tracks are the catchy-as-hell "Stillness Is The Move", the West African vibes of "No Intention", the vocal gymnastics of "Remade Horizon", and the absolutely gorgeous Nico-esque "Two Doves". No song is the same as the last, and you're genuinely left wondering what to expect next from each track on this fantastic album. Ed Droste from Grizzly Bear said it best about trying to describe Dirty Projectors to someone who hadn't heard them. I've been in exactly the same situation. You tell someone that they have to check out this band you're listening to, and they ask you what type of music it is. It seems like such a simple question, but you can't answer. I mean, how do you describe the music on Bitte Orca? It's something that sits outside standard genres. The end of the first decade of the 2000s. What an amazing time for interesting music that can't be described properly. 4.5 stars.
#277/1001. This one was new to me, and even falling to sleep in the airplane due to too early morning wake up, I want to go back again and see if this is a 5. Who are them? Where did they come from and what are they doing on earth? Innovative music at least.
Much better than I was expecting! I'm not really the type who seeks out Indie music of any sort(unless it's 80s college rock), but this does so much more than the standard Indie fare. Lots of weird time signatures and changes that'll keep you on your toes and I really liked both the male and female lead vocals quite a bit.
Indie rock standard. Takes me back to camping summer of 2013 with Jess
I really like this album, kinda funky with some soft rock vibes and good vocals.
A very complex and interesting listen. I really like the singing and the progressiveness of the songs 7/10 Favourite: Cannibal Resource Least Favourite: The Bride
I remember this band from my college radio days but never really listened fully to any of their albums. Very solid indie record - into "No Intention" and "Flourescent Half Dome" especially.
I remember really liking this album. I think it was definitely a at the time thing and not sure it really holds up as well. It's fun and interesting but definitely doesn't hold up for me. Although truthfully the more I listen the more I like it. There are really interesting textures made with the harmonies and some unexpected discordant sounds
Fist couple of songs not my thing but the album grew and love the end half. Great production, amazing voices, interesting songs
Another album that felt like it happened to me rather than me listening to it, but I mean that positively this time. It’s a similar feeling to getting out of a mosh pit, bruised and out of breath. It’s surprising, bright, and creative. I’d call it throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks, but so much of it sticks that that feels like underselling it. Will definitely revisit.
Refreshingly original, complex music
Glorious. In turns beautiful and energetic. 4.5/5
Very cool. I dig.
Непогано, деякі пісні сподобалися, але більшість пройшли повз
Alternative, solid
Oof this is getting a lot of hate, but I really like it. I mean, I like their two biggest influences - trip hop and synth pop. I had never heard of them before, but I put several songs on my naughty aughties playlist so I'll keep listening to them. I wouldn't say every song was a hit, and I do like more variety.
Very unique album. Fantastic layered vocals throughout. The song writing is creative and structured super differently. The drum tones and playing are great, when they’re present — almost has Bonham-esque pauses and style. Very good album. Solid 4.2
Self-conciously artsy pop like this is going to be divisive, but while it might be a bit too out-there for the top marks, it mostly works for me. It's refreshing to hear something so unusual, so obviously the product of a cohesive vision. And I don't really get the hate: sure, the lyrics are weird and the sudden shifts in time signatures can be jarring but the actual melodies that form the backbones of these songs are delightful: funky, stirring and punctuated by lush string arrangements.
I don't recall hearing of these folks before. The first track, Cannibal Resource, drew my attention, it's got quite a different feel. I also enjoyed No Intention with its jingly jangly guitar, it even scored a double listen which is a positive indicator. A good find!
It’s a bit of ramble jamble of sounds, but overall hangs together and rewards the listener. It’s strange, and probably hard to digest, but I kind of dig it. Outside of the music itself, it embodies of the era in music//popular culture, capturing probably the peak of music-blog taste making.
Straight from the opening seconds it hits you with these amazing arrangements and vocal harmonies. Temecula sunrise in particular with that beautiful climax at the end. The songwriting is strong and flashy, especially at the catchier songs like Stillness is the Move. There is some weirder and more experimental moments but those also showcase great instrumentation and song composition skills. Feels like every single climax and chorus hits just the way it should. Falls off slightly in the last 2 songs but that doesn't really matter, the album packs so much quality.
Fínasta indírokk. Tónar vel við það sem var að gerast í indíinu á þeim tíma.
A new treasure that I knew nothing about previously
Delightful. I remember this era of quirky cute vibe being so popular, which I suspect gave way to Portlandia. At the time I was off in a different direction, and so never got acquainted with Dirty Projectors, but I did like this a lot. In fact I probably listened to it three times.
Listened making breakfast and in shower Stillness is the move Listened before
An interesting album
Solid
there's like 5 different time signatures in temecula sunrise and the main hook is the drummer hitting his sticks together a few times to some awkward angular guitar notes and then some douchebag singing HIIIIIIGH, TEMECULA SUNRIIIIIIIIISE, and sometimes the drummer will start playing a completely unrelated beat for like a second during the song... this is the most weirdly structured album ever
Ovo je dobro ali nevjerojatno "kraj nultih" album
hahaha ouh d wikipediasiite verheisst glaub nüt guets für de luca de ersti song iwie cool mitem gsang ABER ES ISCH ALLES SO LUUT finds bis jz no easy cool, wenn au wenig hangeblibt BITTE ORCA ORCA BITTE han jz nöd vill ufgschriebe aber hans reecht cool gfunde. hans gfühl isch es album wo immer besser wird, je meh mers lost
Very interesting
interesting
Sometimes I hear an album and think that I surely must have heard it before?! Not the most cohesive album sound, but a lot of fun and a bit of me 4
Was looking for descriptions of Dirty Projectors, and fell on electro-Art Pop as my best combo. Enjoyed. STILLNESS IS THE MOVE and USEFUL CHAMBER were pretty frickin' sweet.
I had never heard of this group or album but it made for a really good work background soundtrack (complementary)
Reminded you of unknown mortal orchestra, specifically the song called "that life" La canción "the bride" tiene elementos de folklore muy interesantes Bastante variado, me agrada, feeling a decent 4
Always associated this band with Animal Collective, who I don't like, and I see a lot of reviews here comparing the album to Captain Beefheart, who I also can't really get into. But I like this one, actually! It's pretty, I like the singers' voices, kinda reminds me a bit of like Linda Perhacs maybe?
I came into this not knowing the score; it’s one of those albums that demands your attention with weirdness. Beautiful, jagged edges. The harmonies twist into shapes that shouldn't work. A great, complicated listen. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: Cannibal Resource Stillness Is The Move Two Doves No Intention
I have a lot of memories of this one. This is very closely associated with smoking a joint on an empty college campus in the dog days of the summer when it came out. While it does fall off a bit towards the end, I think it’s a good album that has a bit of a nostalgia tinge for me.
I like this and want to listen again.
Not my cup of tea, but well produced
Creative, mystical, kinda off-kilter and sloppy but in a way that works for me. Two Doves in particular is beautiful. Impressive guitars and harmonies, sweet orchestral bits
I can’t decide if it is genius or annoying. I have listened to it - or at least started - five times. I do t think I hate it. But then I forget I’m listening to it. I think it’s good.
A ratos me hizo pensar en una buena cueca, a ratos fue el In rainbows, un poco de tUnE-yArDs (aunque revisando su primer disco fue de este año también). Habría sido un 5 instantáneo si lo hubiera escuchado eñ 2015.
This one of those odd albums that it's hard to tell if I love it or not. Actually, no, I do love this. It's super odd, but actually really quite good. It's so unique that it's impossible to try and compare to anything. It's more worried about creating an interesting sound scape than about being good music, but it still ends up being a good listen. I don't think this is an album for everyone. Nor do I really think that this is a great album. I think it's pretty standard, in that, the first few songs are really very good, but the quality of the album drops off slowly until the last couple songs are pretty unremarkable. But those first couple of songs, "Temecula Sunrise" in particular, are so good that they make the album as a whole very worth listening to. I wish that the whole album wouldn't have dropped off as much as it did. If that was the case, this could have ended up as one of my favorite albums that I hadn't heard of before going into this. Favorite Song(s): Cannibal Resource, Temecula Sunrise
Friskt album som tidvis edget meg
This is such a delightful little indie pop gem of an album. Love the off-kilter but charming pop across it all, especially opener Cannibal Resource with it's bubbly backing vocals and angular guitars, followed by Temecula Sunrise's ebb and flow tempo. I can see how some might find it jarring and messy, but I promise it works. If you found this enjoyable as an indie pop album but couldn't connect to the album as a whole, I recommend checking out Ra Ra Riot's album The Orchard! What a lovely 40 minutes that turned into hours with all the repeat listens!
So many crazy good sounds and songs. Feels more modern than 2009. I feel like im a victim to modern ears but man this was fire. Begging to be sampled. Chatgpt was very wrong on the subject matter of temecula. FOUR
Funsies
Excellent album, varied with interest, a winner.
You know that trend in restaurants a while back where you could get a deconstructed apple pie or similar. And they just gave you the apple and the pastry but hadn't bothered to put it all together properly. This is the musical equivalent of that. That sounds negative, but the apple pie was still enjoyable wasn't it, and undoubtedly there was mastery behind its making. Take 'Temecula Sunrise' in particular - you can hear all the building blocks, and it's quite fascinating. Some of the blocks remind me of Talking Heads, the jaunty rhythms and the angular guitar. Then there's the Kate Bush female vocals which punctuate everything with airtight harmonies. Those intricate 'Hounds of Love' type harmonies are critical to the sound, such as on the mesmerising 'Useful Chamber'. They have a very idiosyncratic sound - quite minimalist, slightly overdriven guitars. Although I could see such an album being the go to for Nathan Barleys everywhere, I find it really rather soothing rather than pretentious. A knack for melody weaves through, even if they don't all take off. There's a creativity here that tips this to a four.
Perfect for my Friday train ride
Nmcot
Аритмичная и артистичная индюха с ловкой и едва уловимой мелодикой, благодаря которой прослушивание альбома превращается в увлекательный поиск сокровищ, закрытых за массой амбициозных решений. Гитарные отъёбы в стиле Лед Цеппелин особенно оценил.
It’s pretentious hipster music but it’s pretty cool nonetheless. The vocals get a little grating at times but the instrumental work really ties it as a must listen album.
Super fun album. Had me dancing around the apt. Stoked to dig deeper into DP’s catalog
+1 star for spousal bias
Haunting and thought-provoking this album sounded a tad more dated than I would have expected having listened to it a lot when it first came out. It was a great end of a trilogy though with my last 3 days being Leondard Cohen's "You Want it Darker" and Public Enemy's "The Enemy Strikes Black."
Это сложная музыка, за которую сложно зацепиться, и если бы не конфирмэйшн питчфорка, что это Музыка, я бы скорее всего никогда даже и не пытался ухватиться за песни здесь. Но вместе с тем, я рад, что таки распробовал. Лучшая песня - Useful Chamber.
Enjoyed this. Recognised the track with Amber Coffman. Had it on a playlist for a while and loved it, but never bothered delving much further. Good this though, sort of somewhere between Animal Collective and at times Battles. Very eclectic, experimental indie. It does tail off at times but overall it’s pretty good and will be back!
So much of this was class but there was just too much nonsense that was also thrown into it. Singing style reminded me of Beirut, lots of it was higher definition mathy like Battles. But Battles also seem to know when to stop with the "arty" side I think. Gave it a quick listen again and with a bit of familiarity the weird stuff didn't annoy me as much so I think it will probably grow on me more. 4 for now.
This album benefits significantly from immediately following Ryan Adam's "Gold" in my list. Almost anything would feel like a blessed relief after that. I have always found myself drawn towards unusual music. So I'm surprised I have never heard of the Dirty Projectors until now. It's really interesting. I see what they are trying to do, though I'm not certain they pull it off 100% of the time. It deserves another listen though. I've awarded an extra 1/2 star for not being Ryan Adams.
It has elements that I should really enjoy but it wasn’t doing it for me. Second listen was better tho.
I intentionally avoided this album at the time it came out because everything I read about it made it sound really unappealing and pretentious but I was pleasantly surprised, there's always something interesting going on and it sounds like something I will enjoy even more with repeat listens.
You can't fool me. This is a prog rock album. Indie, my ass. By the way, that's a good review.
Really liked these guys. Kind of odd and reminded me at times of Animal Collective, but interesting.
Not bad. Similar to some other bands I like. Wouldn't buy it but wouldn't skip if it came on.
This album rules. This is what college for me sounded like
Good… want to like it more, but it exhausts me a bit. Shame. 3.5ish? …it made me come back for more… 4
Love hate this album. Too artsy for me. But definitely has some amazing songs. Two doves is a favorite just such a beautiful song. Useful chamber is my other fave!
New to me. Liked it.
Bitte Orca is the fifth studio album from Dirty Projectors, a New York City based indie rock/art pop band. The band is primarily the work of singer/songwriter David Longstreth. They make songs with a sparse, light feeling to them, making catchy melodies with unusual rhythms. The album includes "Stillness Is the Move," one of the band's biggest singles; it features vocals by Amber Coffman. It's an upbeat, synth-pop song, like about half of the album. The other half has some acoustic songs, and a few rockers, like "Useful Chamber."
Original sound
Four times through and I still don’t quite know what I’m hearing. Folksy art rock? Artsy indie folk? Indie folk art? It’s perplexing. What I do know is that I want to keep listening to figure out why I like it.
Every song starts out sounding a bit basic, then I feel a bit like Super Hans listening to Barney’s demo ‘oh, he’s done something there’ Really enjoyed it. I added Temecula Sunrise to my rotation playlist.
The songs reminded me a little of some Gamelan I have heard; I really dug the back and forth in a number of the songs. I preferred the singer's voice as opposed to the guest stars as well. The singer seemed like a cross of Elvis Costello and Thom Yorke, but in a good way. I was pleasantly surprised in this work, and I'm interested in listening to more of this artist. Top tracks: "Remade Horizon," "Cannibal Resource," "Temecula Sunrise"
I liked this one. Creative compositions, excellent musicianship. The male singer (songwriter) has a bit of a Jeff Buckley sound going and the two female backing vocalists take very interesting approaches to their vocal lines (and I particularly liked Amber Coffman's lead turn on Stillness is the Move). Not in the 1001 anymore but I'm glad I heard it. I'd probably say it's a 3.5 but I'll round up because I wouldn't mind revisiting. Favorite tracks: Cannibal Resource, Stillness is the Move (caught my attention every time - cool groove).
I had never heard of this record or of this band before but after reading some of the reviews I was actually kind of excited about it. Weird and pretentious is normally something I'd enjoy. I'm not sure if I'd call this weird or pretentious. Maybe it's a little weird but not like off-putting weird. Unusual is what I would call it. But this is the good thing about going through this list - I really like this and never would have found it otherwise. I'm not sure I would rate it a 4/5 but probably like 3.75/5 from me. It's another example of why ratings should be out of 10, this would be a good 7.
Really unique art pop album. It’s very creative - I don’t normally delve into the more sensitive folk music. The vocal combos are extraordinary. The male lead sounds like Antony and the Johnsons. I’m bumping to a low 4 because it is a unique sound palette. I’m amazed how many ppl hate this as well! Haha. The guitar sound on no intention is a nice surprise - like desert blues. And that is what the album offers to the patient listener, lots of nice surprises. It’s good ok - just enjoy👌
RV
"Cannibal Resource" is a good song. I like the harmonies from the ladies. He could've said 'the arbitrary life' a few less times. "Temecula Sunrise" feels like a very similar song, with some different guitar parts here and there. "The Bride" vocals for the first minute sound exactly like Moses Sumney on Aromanticism. Moses really ate this man's lunch. This is my favorite song so far. "Two Doves" is a nice change of pace. I enjoy the strings, and the vocals are very pleasant. I like the back half of "Remade Horizon" a lot, lots of fun instrumentals going on there. I'd probably listen to this again. 7/10
Both an interesting album with a lot of enjoyable arrangements. Yet, also a somewhat forgettable album, even after two listen throughs. However, the enjoyable parts are enough for me to push it from a 3 to a 4.
Unsure how I missed this back in 2009 as it’s well up ny street and very in keeping with the indie I was loving at that time. Sad to see such low ratings for what i thought was an interesting and quite lovely record.
Creative and surprising
- I read some of the other reviews and, I have to say, the folks dismissing this as "hipster bullshit" are way off base. I also don't really hear Captain Beefheart; there's not nearly enough dissonance and cacophony. The person who cited Steve Howe / Yes, however, nailed it. Longstreth is clearly aping Mr. Howe's stylings and some of his passages. The thing is, he's just not as good as Steve Howe. That's fine; not too many people are that good and aspiring to Yes quality creative output is nothing to scoff at. I think the bigger issue is Dirty Projectors, at least on this record, try to do too much within the same song just a little too often. I once had an instructor tell me "you don't have to use every trick in your bag of tricks every time" .... while listening to this record I was reminded of this advice. Remember, kids; self-editing is a good thing. Having ranted this out of my system, I can say that I still enjoyed the record. It wasn't something I could immediately categorize. That too, is a good thing and usually means we should pay attention to the thing that we're having trouble filing away. Art is, after all, fundamentally the search for the unknown. It's not a perfect record so, 4 stars.
Enjoyed it & first time listen of this artist
Good
This just works for me, much as something like The Fiery Furnaces does, with full acknowledgement that it's obscenely pretentious and naval-gazing. It's hard to deny the melodies here, particularly in Stillness is the Move, Useful Chamber and Cannibal Resource. Enjoyed it so much on this rediscovery that I put it on for a third time back-to-back-to-back.
I liked how chill it was!
Enjoyed this album. The way their voices balance each other is quite amazing.
This album spits in the face of standard song structure and I really liked it. Sections of songs just happen, but they sound good. The vocals are really great especially with use of background vocals that fill out the songs. Favorites were Temecula Sunrise, Stillness Is The Move, and Useful Chamber.
Enjoyable!!
Very different and odd. I liked it. I especially liked the use of voices as an additional instrument. Liked Songs Added: Cannibal Resource
Really interesting writing. Verging on self-indulgent at times but didn't tip fully into it.
This band has been highly recommended to me for years by a friend from college who was homeschooled and in private cello lessons since he was 3. The first four tracks didn’t do a lot for me on first listen but for whatever reason Two Doves was a turning point that I really enjoyed. It made me realize they’re capable of more than I was giving this album credit for. I let it run and loop back after that and really loved the first four tracks too. Maybe a real grower of an album, I will definitely be returning to it.
This album is bonkers. On a different day I might hate this album, but today it's hitting me just right. It's avant-indie-prog-pop-rock. There's some cool acoustic guitar work, especially in the early parts of the album. There are times where the electric guitars sound like a musique concrete collage of Steve Howe guitar parts. There are crazy vocal harmonies all over the place that, along with the angularity of some of the melodies and grooves, bring to mind a recontextualized Gentle Giant. Overall, the album felt like a less spastic and more pop-y The Mars Volta. 4 stars.
This album and its predecessor, Rise Above, were in steady rotation for me back in 2009-2010. Their collaboration with Bjork on the next record, Mount Wittenberg Orca, was incredible too. Awesome band of creatives that at the time of this album shared a similar sound to bands like Grizzly Bear, Great Lake Swimmers, Blind Pilot and at times Vampire Weekend. This is a good reminder that I need to dive into to their more recent releases.
Ah, Andy hipped me to the folks. I work in AV, so I strongly dislike dirty projectors. I do like this band, though. I'm listening forward to hearing this again. Such an unorthodox and beautiful album. It's chaotic but digestible. I don't think there's another album like this, so I'll give them props for creating a unique piece of art here. I like the jazzy vocals and harmonies, and the offbeat music. The Bride was my favorite. 4.5
What a pleasant surprise. Expected a middling 00's indeh wankfest but received a gorgeous album of thoughtful sounds. I'm too tired to write up better words than these but it was thoroughly impressive and did not manage to make me ever feel off-put by its nature. 9/10
Really nice album, glad I across it
81% Best: Cannibal Resource; Stillness Is The Move; Useful Chamber Must-Hear? Sure. Y’all are trippin’, this album is good.
little top heavy. I'm sure this would not make an updated list, but good nostalgia for an aging dork.
Good, weird, need to be in the right mood though.
This band has been in my periphery for a bit but I've yet to listen to a full album so I'm excited to see this pop up on a Monday morning to get my week started. I love when indie is inventive, it's probably my favorite characteristic of the indie genre overall- that a new band can come out and there's less restrictions surrounding what defines the genre. It allows for a lot of style stretching, boundary pushing, and simply new "stuff". And you get that here, right from track 1, with those super unique vocal harmonies that pop in and out of the left speaker. Then in track 2, with that really unique acoustic guitar part. Whose brain writes that kind of stuff? It's so impressively fresh, and it sets up a wonderful expectation for each track ahead to give me something interesting. So the one downside that I usually have with these unique sounding acts is that by the end of listening to them I tend to get a bit exhausted. There's so many layers and new things and they are all so tightly packed that by the end you realize you haven't had many moments to sit into a groove or a series of tracks where you can expect to just sit back and jive for a little. Your ears have to be "on" the whole time. Maybe I just like more of a blend, but I would have loved a single track in the middle that was a 4 minute groove intermission that cleanses your palate. "Stills Is The Move" is the big hit on this one and pops up on indie rock playlists for me pretty often. It's a cool song and at times gives me a little bit of Santigold... there's even a moment where the singer does a Beyonce-like run. Fun stuff! "Two Doves" is beautiful. I love the strings that come in and interject themselves throughout. This was a fun listen, and I'm definitely excited to hear more from them.
Different, interesting. Quite good!
Actually liked a few songs in the end but the first ones were too chaotic for me- Two doves was actually a really good song useful chamber gave me a uneasiy and funny feeling so 10/10 no intention is a normal sounding song and quite good
Odd, disjointed, occasionally beautiful, avant gardesque indie rock. It's all over the place; it's like someone's musical stream of consciousness... and that's a good thing. Best Tracks: Cannibal Resource; Stillness Is The Move; Two Doves
In America we have this expression that comes from baseball: "out of left field" which means from an unexpected place. I wanted to write just a four word review using that phrase, but I hate it when people use sports metaphors and so I felt I should provide a little context for anyone who would find that expression to be, well, from out of left field.
Easily some of the most hipster shit I've ever heard. And guess I'm a hipster, cause I liked this a bunch. It's definitely over the top and the echoing feamale leads is way too much at times, but this doesn't sound like anything else on this list so far, and it gets bonus points for that. My favorites were Two Doves and Remade Horizon.
Found this really interesting and enjoyed a few plays through. I knew a couple of Dirty Projectors songs but never really got into any of their albums. This kinda reminded me why. They have a load of creative ideas and throw disparate beats and instruments together in a really playful way while the vocals skim around on top and through in a very indie kinda way. There are moments when I love it and it excites me but they always seem to skirt around a great idea and never quite turn it into a fantastic song. The elements are there for this to have been a 5 but it just never quite realises its potential for me. I’d buy the album if I spot it in the wild some day but I couldn’t pick out one track to add to my playlist.
Nice album - agree with others the tweeness sounds of its time, but appreciate the interesting sounds.
Saw Two Doves come down from the heavens when I was listening to this during a Temecula Sunrise.
Interesting, creative, fresh.
I listened twice, couldn't pin down my thoughts fully but it got my attention and I enjoyed it! :)
Even after multiple listens, I’m still not entirely sure what to make of Bitte Orca. It’s an album that defies easy categorization, much like its abstract, enigmatic title. Back in 2009, when publications were showering it with praise, it completely passed me by—and perhaps that was for the best. A younger version of me would have been utterly baffled by its eclecticism. Emerging from the fertile ground of late 2000s indie rock, where eclecticism and experimentation flourished, Bitte Orca sits at the intersection of the genre’s most adventurous tendencies. Sharing a lineage with the freak folk movement and the artful experimentation of contemporaries like Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear, Dirty Projectors carved out their own niche. While many bands leaned heavily into lush atmospherics or pastoral tones, Bitte Orca combines fragmented rhythms, avant-garde arrangements, and unexpected pop hooks. The record’s standout moments belong to Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian, whose stunning vocal performances inject warmth and humanity into the controlled chaos. Coffman shines on “Stillness Is the Move,” a left-field R&B-infused gem that’s both ethereal and infectious, while Deradoorian’s delicate “Two Doves” offers a haunting, chamber-pop respite. Even when supporting with harmonies, their voices serve as the glue that keeps Dave Longstreth’s most fragmented compositions grounded. Other highlights include “Cannibal Resource,” which bursts open with intricate guitar lines and layered harmonies, and “Temecula Sunrise,” a striking blend of catchy hooks and off-kilter rhythms that feel simultaneously intimate and expansive. Meanwhile, “Useful Chamber” is the album’s sprawling centrepiece, balancing delicate melodies with sudden, explosive outbursts—a perfect microcosm of Bitte Orca’s daring unpredictability. Thematically, Bitte Orca resists easy interpretation, much like its music. There’s a sense of searching—both in its restless musical exploration and in its lyrics, which touch on fleeting connections, modern anxieties, and existential musings. Tracks subjects hint at domesticity and consumerism, but with an abstract approach that’s more evocative than prescriptive. This thematic ambiguity mirrors the album’s unpredictable structure, inviting listeners to make their own interpretations rather than offering clear answers. That said, not every moment works seamlessly. Tracks sometimes veer into territory that feels more like an intellectual exercise than an emotional experience, where the sheer density of ideas can overshadow the impact. While bold, moments like these can feel more like a test of endurance than an immersive listen. It’s amusing to think some fans of Dirty Projectors’ earlier, rawer work found Bitte Orca to be a step toward accessibility. Sure, these songs flirt with pop structures, but they remain deeply rooted in experimentalism. For someone who prides themselves on an eclectic music taste, I still found this album a challenge—its abstract twists and turns are engaging but not always easy to follow. Ultimately, Bitte Orca is as enigmatic as it is ambitious. Whether it leaves you mesmerized or scratching your head, its fearless creativity is worthy of praise. Did/Do I own this release? No Does this release belong on the list? It might be a little bit too out there for this kind of list Would this release make my personal list? Probably not Will I be listening to it again? I'd like to come back to this in a few months to see if my thoughts have changed.
Fun, colorful and poppy. I liked it
Not sure why but I kind of like this album. It's not my genre of music to listen to but somehow it works.
Amazing what a pop appeal this brainy, guitar-driven and pristine avantgarde Soul-Pop holds.
It's super difficult to rate this. It's all over the place and so much of it is tedious, but Stillness Is The Move is legitimately one of the best songs I've ever heard in my life.
Interesting
Dig the energy and vocals of this one. It's a great upbeat listen. 4.5
I'll admit tos record takes a while to wither get going, or grow on you, or both. But this ends up being a near masterpiece for me. None of these ideas and sounds seem like they would make good music, but they do. That tells me that this writer is on another level
7/10
Beautiful if off beat melodies. Arrangements that surprise and delight. Sweet if unconventional harmonies. Songs that surprise and confound and demand one's attention and investment of time. Pop music of unique craft. For me it reminds me of Grizzly Bear and Vampire Weekend as contempories. Pet Sounds and Forever Changes also seem like influences. A unique and beautiful album worthy of attention. 4 stars
I remember hearing this album a few years back but don't remember much about it aside from the fact that I didn't find it very memorable. Funnily enough, it sounds like something I would've dug back then, only to have it grow off me over the years...but with this most recent listen, it seems to have had the opposite effect. That's to say...I really enjoyed my time with it this time around. I've always been a sucker for music that sounds genuinely unique and this album fits that bill - I mean just the genre "Math-pop" is not one I see thrown around all that often. Calling it incohesive would be an understatement - at times it sounds like various patches of sound being swirled around some hipster's room, clashing seemingly at random. It almost feels incomplete, like the various tracks on each song are actually from very different songs. The at-times incomprehensible mix of wayward percussive patterns and fidgety vocal harmonies makes everything feel very tribal. But it didn't take very long for the stuttering nature of the music and backing harmonies to latch itself onto my pattern-recognition sensors or whatever. I'd say I enjoyed most of what this "cerebral" sound had to offer but I found the best songs to be the two more "streamlined" ones featuring the artists on this album cover. 'Stillness Is The Move' with Amber Coffman still maintains that strange indietronica sound, but it sounds infinitely more cohesive than anything that came before it. It's like the perfect 2000s indie-pop song fusing the sounds of guys like LCD Soundsystem and Animal Collective. The following 'Two Doves' with Deradoorian goes in a baroque direction with these mesmerizing sweeping string sections - and snuggly fitting vocals. So you have these two perfect indie-folk and pop songs and then everything else is just...kind of hit or miss. I mean there are plenty of interesting sounds to gawk at here in a "Wow that sounds cool!" kind of way, but in terms of actual songs I see myself returning to? There aren't too many. But eh, I'd still say the sum of those milder parts just sounds way too cool for me to care.
I am very familiar with this album (and the band) so am probably biased. Unpopular opinion: they're so good at what they do that they're actually hard to like. I think they provide something very different in terms of sound, vocals, rhythm, and tempo and this is definitely their most accessible album by a mile. I've honestly found it to be one of the most divisive recommendations I can give. They range from being wildly inventive to almost unlistenable (sometimes in the same song) and I love them for it. You either like the off-step time signatures and THAT voice or you hate them. But please consider the Zeppelin-inspired swirl and burst of Useful Chamber (2:42 will have you seeing sound) or Nico's These Days remake on Two Doves before totally writing them off. The layering, the abstract song-smithing, the fact that they could go off in a completely different direction two seconds later all makes them what they are. I feel like each song can stand alone, bright, colorful, triumphant. I wouldn't change a thing, Bitte More-ca! High 4.15.
Pretty alright
This is such a strange and beautiful album and I would definitely listen again. The female vocals are just hauntingly beautiful, and Stillness is the Move will always be a banger.
Sounds great, liked it a lot, but minus one point for then being forgettable after it was over.
Interesting music. Odd rhythms and good melodies. Vocals are nice, too.
Why don't I already know this album? It is really good! a little lightweight maybe, and extremely 2009, but that isn't the worst thing in the world. The first two songs were particularly good, and I'm excited to find out more about them.
I liked this. I'm a fan of Vampire Weekend and DP reminded me of them.
Really fun album. The vocals were outstanding.
I don't really even know how to describe this album, but it's really beautiful. Great vocal harmonies, lots of music that feels a little unusual, but also feels like it makes sense. This is one that I'm going to come back to for repeated listenings 4/5
Dissonant, interesting chords and vocal harmonies. Super interesting album that I thoroughly enjoyed. The addition of orchestral strings made for a welcome change from a typical indie rock album.
Such a unique album. I find a few of the songs a bit annoying but the variety of sound here is amazing. I would love to really dove back into this one someday because every time I listen it falls into the background. I find it very math rock at times and meditative but also sometimes a bit too spastic. Overall it is a unique piece of art.
I tried to hate this album from the get-go, but I actually really liked it. It's a little chaotic, but in a creative way. The vocals are great and the guitar work is impressive.
Exploratory pop, lots of variety
Super Great. Adore adore adore the vocal arrangements. Some of the later songs need more listens because they are a little dense
This was interesting. 4/5
Weird. Good weird, even if it's not my style. Lots of Regina Spektor vibes, though very much their own thing. At another point in my life, this would have really resonated with me. For now, I recognize that it's very good, I'm glad I listened, but I doubt I'll revisit this, at least any time soon.
This album was so big when it came out. I’ve tried but I could never really get into it. Holds up for the most part but can’t say that I was wowed.
I'd heard of Dirty Projectors before, but didn't know what to expect. This was a pleasant surprise. Artsy-fartsy, but still tuneful.
Interesting, arty, and here and there whimsically charming in an off-kilter sort of way. Though it lacks flow, some cuts have an ebullient, even orgiastic feel. The strength is its uniqueness and unpredictability – one's a bit on edge not knowing what to expect as individual cuts develop – "the arbitrary life" indeed! The song titles alone speak to what's different. Best cuts are "Stillness Is the Move" and "Two Doves" even though the songs cohere overall and don't necessarily differentiate themselves terribly much as individuals. One's reminded of other art-school bands (Talking Heads, Pylon). Still, this is decent-plus and well worth knowing.
Very much a 2009 record. Lots of reviews say this is hipsters with their heads up their collective asses. Sure, I’ll agree with that. But also it’s a weird fun record. Two things can be true.
Unusual and interesting
Nice! Lekker indie man, zaten paar nice dingen tussen
reviews led me to believe I was about to experience torture but this one was actually pretty neat👍
Yes! I really love this, although it's definitely only for the experimental mood Favorite tracks: "Cannibal Resource", "Two Doves", "Useful Chamber"
Very interesting.
Kinda fun but I didn't get into it.
4+/5
After reading some of the reviews I was prepared to hate this but I didn't. Weird but interresting. Probably will never listen to it again but happy I heard this once.
Trippy, fun, definitely worth another listen.
What an album. Big game changer for me when it comes to new sounds and ways of playing music. African, disjointed funk, choral, R&B, rock, noise, math - you name it. Great record, though not for everyone I imagine.
Fun strange record from a fun strange band.
Included in the late 2000s hipster starter pack
Sympa mais pas démentiel
Pretty good
I almost died in Temecula
this album is like birds wings fluttering and voices so beautiful singing through quiet nights guitars ascending in songs through skies of familiar madness for us dearly
cool experimental
I listened to almost this whole album and felt a familiarity to it, then heard No Intentions and realized I saw them at Lolla one time. Its weird music, but something so serene and beautiful. Makes me want to sit in a green hillside and watch the clouds go by.
This one is interesting because I was actually pretty familiar with this album already. I think if I was listening to it for the first time right now, I’d think it was too weird. But I have memories attached to it and enjoyed listening to it when it came out, so it’s fun and nostalgic and I like the weirdness of it. I especially like the songs when the woman is doing the main vocals. Groovy stuff!
For some reason this gave me a more wholesome bjork vibe mixed with like talking heads and it was great. Off beat 2000s indie rock with some absolute bangers (stillness is the move, useful chamber) but also kinda peters out after useful chamber.
Band and album had been all new to me. And this album seems to divide the reviewers in Lovers🥰 and Haters🤮. For me it is somewhere in between. I hear many things that I like. But it´s - like the strange title indicates - also very weird. Partly sounds like someone singing in a room with both the TV and the radio on.🥴 Glad to discover this interesting, alternative-listening-experience. Definitely not an every-day choise but I get more and more used to it.😉 Favourite: "Cannibal Resource", "Temecula Sunrise", "Useful Chamber", "No Intention" Worst: "Remade Horizon", "Fluorescent Half Dome" 3,5
2009 is often seen as the last gasp of mainstream vitality in the indie rock genre and Dirty Projectors' Bitte Orca was one of the more cornerstone releases of that time. At once bewildering, sublime, confounding and scattershot, the album leaves no stone unturned in its forty minute runtime and its dizzying disposition often leaves the listener scratching their heads in regards to how to approach what was heard. Ultimately, the upside is more plentiful as there is opportunity to discover what remained possible in the paradoxically faint yet potent buzz of the indie landfill. Now, clean those projectors, please? Favorites: Cannibal Resource, Temecula Sunrise, Stillness is the Move, Two Doves, Useful Chamber, No Intention, Fluorescent Half Dome.
Audacious sonic exploration 3.8
Strange start but gets more refined. Stillness is the move is great! No intention was nice. Finished well. Memorable. Original.
Oh man, I really like the Dirty Projectors. I first heard their album from 2018, Lamp Lit Prose, which I really dug. The lead vocalist has such a unique quality to his voice, something sharp about his timbre that I really enjoy. This album is really awesome too, such an unpredictable ride. What genre can you even call something like this? Really glad it was included. Favorite tracks: Cannibal Resource, Temecula Sunrise, Stillness is the Move, Useful Chamber, No Intention. Album art: Two women, one's face obscured with a blue blob, the other with red. Are they crips and bloods? Democrats and Republicans? Doesn't matter, looks cool. Dirty Projectors seem to do some self-referential covers, as there is a previous one that is two connected, round shapes, and then Lamp Lit Prose is that again, repeating the red and blue scheme. Just a fun little easter egg. 4.5/5
"Bitte Orca" is the fifth album by American rock band Dirty Projectors. Indie rock, art pop and prog pop are the listed genres. I honestly would have a hard time categorizing this to any genre. The album was producrd by band leader, multi-intrumentalist and vocalist David Longstreth. Other members include Amber Coffman (vocals, guitar), Angel Deradoorian (vocals, guuta, keyboards), Brian McOmber (drums), Nathan Baldwin (bass, keyboards) and Hale Dekle (percussion, backing vocals). The album hit #65 in the US and had wide-spread critical acclaim. Distorted guitar slashes open "Cannibal Resource." An idiosyncratic drum beat. Multiple vocals going off. Longstreth singing about, well, maybe carnivores vs. herbivores. An acoustic guitar opens "Temecula Sunrise." But, the instrument to follow is the electric guitar; it's all over the place including a solo. Strong female backing vocals. I'd guess this is about urban sprawl. Amber Coffman takes over lead vocals on "Stillness Is the Move." Strings and a drum loop. A great keyboard melody. This song has a groove too. It's a love song and probably their best song. It's Angel Deradoorian's turn for lead vocals on "Two Doves." It's a pretty song with acoustic guitar and strings. I think you might need a flow chart to describe "Useful Chamber" as it goes all the place but I like it. Strings. Keyboards. Electronic drum beat. Acoustic guitar. This songs starts, stops, goes into EDM territory, turns chaotic and reminds me a lot of the Flaming Lips. Longstreth closes things out taking the lead vocals on "Fluorescent Half Dome." Synth-heavy with strings. He seems to be confronting performing in front of people. Some more beautiful backing vocals. This is a unique album and hard to describe. Weird beats with song styles changing within songs. I'd call it experimental pop. I like this album quite a bit. The songs are catchy for me even though at times the band seems to be improvising. The vocals are strong especially the backing vocals. If you're up for an intriguing ride, this is for you.
Indie art pop from the late-2000s. Pretty good.
I'm only not rating this a 5 because I need more time with it--it's sort of absurdist rock (Velvet Underground meets Car Seat Headrest?), twists and turns everywhere. Love the backing harmonies. Really cool discovery!
The Stillness is the Move!!!! What a song. Took a while for the album to click into place, but when it did I was totally won over.
A couple of the songs on here were a bit strange. But a majority of them were really cool. 3.5 rounding up to a 4 for me. A nice album that I probably won't listen to again
This was an interesting one. Hearing a decent amount of Vampire Weekend and Grizzly Bear. That classic 00's indie sound. This went in all different directions musically. Had it on in the background and it kept me pretty damn engaged. Useful Chamber was a standout to me. If I heard Remade Horizon in the wild I would've guessed it was Animal Collective.
They have a bit of a Beatles in the modern era vibe. A bit eclectic, but I liked it. Favorite track was useful chamber.
good leg bounce music
Un disco con popurrí de canciones, parecen inconexas. Pero las canciones están bien. Folk, africano, inde, Rufus... popurrí.
Was a fun listen!
Math rock, progressive pop, indie folk? What a varied album! I really enjoyed this and the weird little offbeat additions. Cool time signature shifts, key changes, tempo changes, this is GOOD.
Dense and groggy - I don't know if the whiplash approach works all the time, but there's a lot here for your ears to absorb.
listened to again fun quirky thing
Really interesting! I like, mostly. Very cool musically and the lyrics and vocals are nice too.
A decent album, some fun songs. Really solid. 3.6/5
ll
Very fun weirdo pop, like a less dreamy Animal Collective
This was decently entertaining, actually an alright discovery for a 21st century album that I hadn’t heard of. 7/10
I can’t get over how the guy pronounces quest-a-yon. What I get most from this album is a real sense of exuberance. It feels joyful and alive, and as if the band is enjoying the ability to play together, and mess around with the weird time signatures and the odd vocal lines. I went into it fully expecting to hate it based on all of the negative reviews, but I had a really good time
I listened to a ton of indie rock back in the late aughts and early 2010's, but I never made it around to this album. This album was a pleasant surprise. After reading the reviews, I was afraid this album might just sound like generic Indie Sleaze music, but I think this album had its own distinct feel. I thought the guitar playing, vocals, and odd rhythms were fantastic, and they really gave this album a unique sound. The string arrangements were really great too, especially on "Fluorescent Half Dome." I think my biggest gripe with this album being on this list is that there are other albums from this era that I think are more deserving of a spot (how in the hell is there not a Vampire Weekend album on this list?). But other than that, I enjoyed listening to this, and it's something I might return to some day.
Weeeeird
84/100
I wasn’t so sure about this album when I first heard it and seeing them at Pitchfork didn’t really hit me - if anything, it led me to disregard them more. But I’m into this app/project and if I could listen to an Adele album, surely I can listen to Dirty Projectors again. I am glad I did! It’s a really complex album that is beautifully crafted and grows on you as you listen. A little bit of Beefheart, Beach Boys, Of Montreal but blended together in a unique way. Great vocals, I will listen to this again.
This was interesting.
A great find by this list. The female vocals and the baroque elements combined with electronics and the instrumentations make every song a journey. I would say that some of those songs are too similar to each other. The male vocals can't keep up either. Certainly something I'd listen to again and again.
Rock alternativo surpreendente, boas melodias e vocais compostos
Groovy, a little Vampire Weekendy, 4 stars.
Standouts: Cannibal Resource, Others: No Intention, Temecula Sunrise, Two Doves, Useful Chamber, Fluorescent Half Dome 3.75
Het is heel interessant, dit ligt mij wel :)
This is very intriguing! I actually really like this first song and I might even add it into my library. This is weird but delightfully so. Each song is different and fun.
I liked this album a lot. I was not familiar with this band before listening to this and I will definitely be exploring the rest of their catalog. This album was quickly and interesting. The vocals and harmonies were really good. Easy 4 stars
Nice album. I had not listened to the whole thing before this.
not really sure why this album gets the hate it does. sure, on its face, it is pretty nonstandard, but it's not totally out there and the sounds on it are pleasant and i find the time signatures pleasant and engaging. overall, i found it a pretty alright listen. something i could see myself coming back to in the future. i think to appreciate this album, you need to be willing to be challenged (only just a little bit imo), and i found the challenge to be fairly fulfilling. not my favorite album of all time, but an interesting and fun listen for me.
Digging this. Using conventions from indie music if it’s time and recontextualising them to make something unique. Cool