We Miss The Earth released another LP at the end of 2013, Eyes to the Creature is more of a collaborative project with a unique structure compared to the rest of their full-lengths. Here we have three new tracks from the band, alongside five remixes from various artists on the title track. These first tracks are broader in scope as opposed to the more focused album they released just months before. The band’s alchemical mix of textures and arrangements along with their hook-filled melodies is still at play here, although the electronic presence is definitely more prominent. Opener “Eyes to the Creature” is wide and atmospheric, with dreamy synth parts and shoegaze textures intertwining with a moody and mournful tune. Following track “Gravity” is filled with vast and sweeping imagery of distant places and strange vistas. Which is probably a play on the band’s name as “I Miss the Earth” (instrumental) follows – a groovy and turbulent rocker with mind-bending sounds and effects to signal the beginning of a new journey.
Then rest follows a collection of remixes from other artists. The Yeti mix from Mint Canyon re-imagines Eyes to the Creature as full of alien samples and 80’s inspired tones, while the Who Goes There? Mix comes in brooding with some thick bass tones that seem to swell and emanate from a shady nightclub. Each rendition only becomes more progressive as we go further. The Boogeyman Disco Mix is probably the one that can get you moving with its dancy grooves, while the Ceremony mix from Jonathan mono is very futuristic in its choices of sounds. What’s probably the most elaborate of them all is the Delano Duran Red Eye mix, where Chris Koza’s vocals are warped and stitched together like Frankenstein’s monster. The remix is faithful within the original song’s skeleton, but the amount of eerie imagery and harrowing sounds Duran has put in the song made it into a fun yet spine-tingling experience.
This concludes the reviews for We Miss The Earth, if you’re looking for great post-punk and noise pop with a unique vision, this Portland band definitely hits the mark.
