Great Sounds Great; Bad Sounds Bad: F In Math “Don’t Look Down”

Every week, a panel of writers for The Corner will focus on a bunch of recently released local singles and grade them. We call it Great Sounds Great; Bad Sounds Bad. Read through the panelists thoughts below and let us know what you think of the song in the comments section.

[Bandcamp]

[Grade: 6.4]

Fraser Austin: I’d have mixed it WAY different. I mean there is a big bottom end here, but it’s murky assss. But murky KINDA RULZ! I always wonder what F In Math would sound like if it was a human-dude rather than a robot-dude. This song unfolds in the way a song should! Kinda like trying to outrun the stage boss rather than face up to him. Cool idea. [7]

Michael McClelland: Loving this unique take on what would usually be some pretty ordinary chords. In fact, I’d be into this without the sheen of robotic over-production – but this glitchy angle twists it down a different, more playful path. If you’ve ever seen F In Math live, you’ll immediately recognise the same frantic energy that Michael Logie uses on the stage. This recording is only a less haphazardous version of what you come to expect from Logie live, but it makes you eager to see it in person all the more. I’d be happy just hearing it through some nice speakers… it sounds nice. It has that awesome crunched up mid-frequency sound that I imagine would sound really great with a nice setup. Possibly the best thing about it is that it sounds like Logie rushed a simple idea into this monster of overcontemplation. There’s no fence in the middle, and I like that. I don’t think it’s his best song – it’s a ‘where did that come from?’ to ‘where did that go?’ moment of finality – but it certainly has a lot going for it. I often forget my appreciation for F In Math – but this project really is one of the few things in NZ that sticks out from everything else. [8]

Maryann Savage: This is impressive, but not touching. The Mint Chicks, and M. Logie here, are like Frank Zappa: technicians more than expressionists. They seem to float above genre, but that lack of commitment can appear an act of hubris, as if the artist perceives themselves as both above their influences and their audience. Synths and musical technology are in no way necessarily technical and inexpressive — consider Suicide. The capture of indie rock or electronic music by competent but politically uncommitted technicians leads to a boringness that’s good for purchase by major labels, but which stifles any revolutionary impulse. For accomplishment, [7]

Hussein Moses: With UMO, Kody and Bic and F In Math, we can finally get an idea of who brought what to The Mint Chicks. And where that was a perfect amalgamation, the parts are still worth spending time exploring. It takes awhile for this to sink in, but once it does it makes perfect sense – distinctive drum machine beats, weirdo synths that sound like they’re on speed and behind the fuzzed out vocoder you can let those lyrics kick in too. Playful self-indulgence. A concept executed perfectly. [9]

Luke Warm: Na try this instead. Logie takes himself too seriously and tries too hard to be clever. Keep it simple stupid. If I want to listen to hookless annoying static I’ll just play some Merzbow. [1]

Matthew McAuley: This is wholly okay. It sounds a lot like that Mintunes EP from a while ago, I think I’d like it better without the vocoder. Mike Logie seems like a pretty sweet dude. I miss the Mint Chicks. [6]

Isobel Cairns: I would possibly go out to see this live, if it was not too cold, although I would expect my brain to be scrambled by the end. It’s like being in a psychology experiment where they find someone to electrocute people and the poor soul who got offered $2 to participate has their finger jammed down on ‘XXX’. [7]