4 out of 5

Label: Perishable

Produced by: Joe Ferguson

The Deceleration series comprises some (I believe / assume) live sets Califone performed as soundtracks to some films.  Deceleration One covers “Music for film loops” and “Music for (Ladislaw Starewicz’s) “The Mascot” “.  Touches of the Califone sound – both eras, their electronically-tinged start and the folk focus of their later years – definitely crop up throughout the disc but, interestingly, it’s the newer soundscapes that are the most fascinating.  And the group, not leashed to a need to support lead Tim Rutili’s narratives, are freed up to follow the films’ flows, giving the music an edge that honestly hasn’t been there for me post the Roomsound albums.

Though split between two sets, taken as an album, Deceleration has three sections: the first three tracks, set to ‘film loops,’ which build from ambient intro ‘Handpainted Halo’ into the subtle feedback beats of ‘Ceiling’ (this is one track), the music floating surreally and pulsingly along until the three part Parade Queen / Milk Waltz / Dirt Moon, at which point we fall sharply back into ambient for that track and the two concluding tracks of ‘loops;’ the soundtrack loses a bit of momentum here, hard stops between ‘songs’ (and within songs – like ‘Lakewater / Parachutes’) underlining the soundtrack concept, where matching the movie moment obviously trumps making a seamless listening experience.  This vibe carries over into the first part of “The Macot,” although the sounds shift toward experimental – and short – two minute bursts of effects, the track names and almost, at moments, funky vibe leading one to image the flick as an oddball almost-comedy, up until the disc’s final, exciting section – and when “Mascot” maybe takes a dramatic turn – with ‘Hell Orchestra with Dancers / Glass Choir’ – which kicks off an aggressive percussion freak-out until the last two tracks wind us back down to Earth.

Although the short cuts in the middle of the album interrupt the pacing, Deceleration One is an affecting listen, knowledge of the films not at all required for enjoyment.  The electro-folk of the early EPs makes a satisfying appearance, while the album is gracefully nudged along by latter-era Califone folk, sans Rutili’s sleepy droll.  And there are moments of intensity here that remind us this used to be members of Red Red Meat, rounding out the whole experience as something perhaps a bit more exciting than their folkier fare.