Einstein Music Journal

The Hungry Caterpillar

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Talented graphic designer Benjamin Thompson has many hobbies; lucky for us one of these is The Hungry Caterpillar. Currently the whereabouts of the rumoured second member remains uncertain, however this phantom edge of unsolved mystery only serves to illuminate the indescribable awesomeness of the music.

Like one of those inexplicable forces of nature – a sporadic tsunami or horrific avalanche, The Hungry Caterpillar devours your attention from the onset, unrelenting in its iron grip. Trilling keyboards and mountainous effects are pummelled into you with the freakiest of live drums I’ve ever heard, and will fast become the soundtrack to your dreams.

The genius ADD of the Caterpillar’s first full-length lost-in-suburbia madness is available for download in full here. It displays an exciting palette of Prince, Lightning Bolt and Roots influences, though you would hardly guess that from a cursory listen.

Tracks like Slip Into The Mould and Relentless Tide Has Won will win you over with their crisp originality and excitement, often lost on many people post-childhood. The Hungry Caterpillar keeps the sandpit dreamz alive with his playful, intricate melodies explored via a range of midi devices and rhythmic overhauls.

The catchiest experimental midi-pop/electronica/breakbeat/sports techno/wtf!? I’ve heard in forever, it pretty much takes the cake. Well, it takes those conventional genre terms and aborts them with lustful, synthtastic irony.

Of course to try and apply static genre terms only denotes an element of derivativeness, and the Caterpillar does not adhere to any of these crimes. Just add Flamboid3000 to your diet and see what happens. Conventionality is ripped apart with joyous fervour unheard anywhere outside of Lightning Bolt.

Though largely instrumental, there is the occasional shy blend of vocal musings on the Chinese communist party and unicorns, all bathed in Cher-esque vocoder. This is not only endearing but plain awesome. Name one other person who is doing that today? For realz.

This may hide such inspired lyrics and make even more ambiguous the underlying tones of corrupt capitalism and escapism, but much like his visual artwork, the interpretation is left up to the audience; an honest intention.

These songs are incredibly exciting and addictive. And the ecstatic reception here is accurately reflected in the fragmented nervosa of this blog. Just download the album already!

Another testament to the beauty and myth of multitalented artists – the constant collaboration of creative desires producing fruits as varied and exhilarating as this. The Hungry Caterpillar is fully mind-blowing, and has to be heard to be believed.

posted by Sarah Gooding @ 5:00 pm