Cassette Review // Thee Reps "Cryptocartography" (Gold Bolus Recordings)

https://theereps.bandcamp.com/album/cryptocartography

Synth tones coming in somewhat dramatic start this cassette.  The feeling of that machine drum bass kicks in and this is an upbeat song now, sort of like Neon Trees.  It's just moving and sort of new wave as well.   Horns come blaring in, followed by orchestra strings and this just feels like a lot of musicians coming together for one sound.  Though this can feel like it has a rock sound, it also has this big orchestra feel which exists outside of rock at the same time.  

A slower sound comes in on the next song, which feels like a sombering western but there is also something more pop about it than country.   The strings kick in and create a rhythm like "La Cucaracha".   Strings wind through now and it feels like it's playing a song I know but I just cannot remember the name.   The way that this ends all at once, we go into these synth tones next which makes it feel like we're about to dive into a pop song.

The strings give this third song a certain rhythm to where it feels like we're dancing around.  In this way, the sound becomes one more like a stage show, like a ballet or musical but not quite either of them- something new and different.   This takes us into a more sly feel on the fourth song, where these tones and strings just kind of echo each other as if they're in conversation.  This is like the score to a silent film.   Tones come through like an emergency and then we quiet down to the percussion.

Strings slowly start coming back in, as cymbals crash.   This is that slow burn, re-entering the song.  Everything slowly finds its way back.   Drumrolls make way for organ tones and this can even begin to feel a little bit haunted.   Through the percussion and the honking of the horns, the strings guide us to the end of the first side.  

On the flip side we begin with tones coming through like a combination of Morse Code and a polka band.  Cymbals crash as the bass line holds it steady.   We drop down an octave and the percussion slowly flows in like Phil Collins.   This has such a chill vibe and almost reminds me of a hidden Stone Temple Pilots song.   Midi-like tones bring in a nice sound which is joined by the strings of perhaps a violin because it's reminding me of Yellowcard.  

We are taken now into a song which comes out much faster with all of the sounds playing together, until eventually the tones join in as well.   This sound is between pop and jam band.   Everything just begins twisting and turning now, moving away from pop.   Even as the other sounds slow down, the percussion persists until it all comes together in silence, as if we just fell asleep at a rapid pace.

Drum rolls bring us back into sound.   The tones come through now, feeling like we're weaving back and forth, telling a story.   A shaker comes in now and this has slowed down but not too slow and it just keeps moving.   This song ends on higher pitched tones but then kicks into the next song which feels like a television theme from the 1990's.    Fluttering through now this has really picked up and I'm imagining the images going along with it.   

We're once again transported to that sound that is almost like a polka, as we go in a loop of horns and synths with the percussion keeping it all in check.   This has a way about it where it almost becomes hypnotic.   The tones jump around now and I'm reminded of the piano scene from the movie "Big" for some reason.   As is the case with most of the songs on this cassette, this album all comes together on one note and one distinct sound.