Obsession I

24-year old Toronto native Daniel Benjamin and collaborator/co-conspirator Maddy Wilde have been making music together for most of their lives; as Moon King, the two singers weave dreamlike harmonies over buzz-saw guitars and electronic percussion, their live performances capturing a raw-nerve intensity that verges on ecstatic. Obsession I mixes the ethereal charm of the Cocteau Twins with the propulsive rhythms of Disco Inferno. Many of Daniel's songs appeal to our darker subconscious desires, reveling in the embrace of fear and ego as a means of escape. Spiral Beach's breakup doesn't seem to have slowed the band members' output at all. In addition to past members now playing in projects like Doldrums and Austra, the defunct group have spawned Moon King, which features members Daniel Benjamin and Maddy Wilde. On Tuesday (August 14), the duo will release Obsession I through One Big Silence, and you can stream the whole thing now on Exclaim.ca. A press release notes that these Daniel Benjamin-penned tunes "appeal to our darker subconscious desires, revelling in the embrace of fear and ego as a means of escape." They were self-produced and then mixed by Shane Stoneback (Sleigh Bells, Cults, Fucked Up). The five tracks on this twelve-inch EP pile electronics on top of hazy vocals with just a hint of punk aggression and folk delicacy. It's sure to please fans of Spiral Beach's eclecticism, in addition to lovers of Doldrums' and Austra's electro-leanings. Take a listen to the whole thing below, and see a video for the opening track "Only Child" here. You can also order the album here at One Big Silence. -Alex Hudson buy it here: http://www.insound.com/Obsession-I-Vinyl-12inch-Moon-King/P/INS109826/