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| 1 | European | 4:33 | |
| 2 | Homely | 5:04 | |
| 3 | Seven By 7 | 3:36 | |
| 4 | Cracks | 2:50 | |
| 5 | End of the Day - In 3 Parts | 3:56 | |
| 6 | King Out to Sea | 3:58 | |
| 7 | Sleep | 3:35 | |
| 8 | Magdellan | 3:20 | |
| 9 | Svetlana | 3:25 | |
| 10 | Go Make | 6:01 | |
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Another Review |
“With the sublime vocals of classically trained Ruth Wilson and the innovative production style of Duann Scott, Toby1 is laptop rock”, or so says the press release that came with the CDR fresh from the mastering studio. ‘I think its still warm from coming straight out of the burner’ says Duann as he passes the disc too me… Chilled, wispy beauty wafts through the ether thanks to this offering from Adelaide duo Toby1. Think Lamb with a slightly dirty Portishead twist. Think Goldfrapp with the volume down and a battalion of computers. Think uplifting vocals with neat machine-gun drum patterns underneath. European gives a promising start with its cooler-than-cool attitude while 7x7 funks it up a little more in an almost countrified fashion. The vocals come through less processed, there’s less of the computer-cool and more of the quirky, dirty joy from vocalist and ‘live’ instrumentalist. Ruth Wilson. The track takes a standard formula – trip hop’s version of the 12-bar Blues – but it allows the group’s personality to come through. Wilson’s vocals are more adventurous and the synth sounds have a unique character that would be welcomed as ‘trademark’ Toby1. Svetlana gets my track-of-the-album vote. For once, Toby1 present something that doesn’t sound like it wants to be someone else. There’s a well-chosen sample that is skilfully incorporated into the musical content of the composition. Fabulous clarinet solos are complimented by hints of mandolin which all contribute to moments of World Music, yet the vocals are dense and low, giving the piece a focus but not taking over from the more interesting instrumental content. The computer is used to decorate each track; think of it as aural tinsel speckling the Christmas tree incarnate as album. The ten tracks that comprise Cracks Increase show a convincing belief in their product and a uniformity of vision. Beautiful background sounds, sweet beats, mean vocals – if only they’d take a few more risks and decide to be unique rather than to emulate. Serena Armstrong (Courtesy Of Cyclic Defrost) |
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This is another beautiful, moody, atmospheric, exploration from Surgery Records. Known for presenting edgier down-tempo electronica, Surgery is also behind names such as Qua, Epoq and Pretty Boy Crossover. Toby1 is a partnership between Adelaide composer Duann Scott and vocalist/instrumentalist Ruth Wilson. They have already been likened to Portishead, Lamb and Morcheeba – dark trip-hop electronica, overlaid with husky and uplifting vocals. And it's the vocals that make this album special. Transmogrified, muted, mutated, bent, sweet, lilting sighs and melodies lie at the centre of the songs, and are complemented by dark basslines and a blend of found-sounds, drum-machine patterns and guitar. The tracks range from dark trip-hop to funky basslines and rock-like guitar riffs. All are infused with digital manipulation, giving a slightly twisted, unearthly edge – in line with the Surgery style. The Good: Moody, jazzy vocals that are sometimes sweet and sometimes dark. (Complete Review At Vibewire) |
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Toby1 are a local duo made up of Ruth Wilson and Duann Scott. They proclaim themselves as "laptop rock", but what these two actually are is inventive and brilliant. Combining Wilson’s classically trained voice and her atmospheric use of clarinet, flute and viola with Scott’s ephemeral guitar and programming makes for an exciting creation of slow break beats and ambient orchestration. From the outset Toby1 show links with other Adelaidian experiments - like Suvome - but there is something much more basic, minimalist and European about Toby1, more akin to the likes of Portishead and Tricky. What this album demonstrates, along with their uniquely peculiar sound, is the immense maturity of the artists. Although tracks like European and King Out To Sea are catchy and memorable, it’s the atmospheric and thought provoking pieces like the haunting Homely and the mesmerising Go Make which really enthral. Anthony Paxton (Complete Review At DB Magazine) |
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