When it comes to an animal-based moniker through which they can distribute their work, Benoît Pioulard a.k.a. Thomas Meluch and The Sight Below a.k.a. Rafael Anton Irisarri could certainly have chosen worse. The orca whale is simultaneously one of the most endearing and misunderstood animals gracing this fair Earth, and I’m sure the attention whores over at PETA, who have recently compared the presence of these whales at SeaWorld to legitimate, unconstitutional slavery, would be more than willing to agree on this point. Without doing any research to actually figure out why, why exactly are orca whales commonly referred to as “killer whales”? Taking for granted their adeptness at killing, there appears to be some whale prejudice going on here; why don’t we refer to grizzly bears as “killer” bears, for instance? God damn whalist bastards, these days.
I can’t comment on the particular rationale behind Meluch and Irisarri’s choice of appellation; perhaps they hear a complementary relationship between the music that they create and the resonant sounds of their whale counterparts. Or, maybe they just have an unusual appreciation for Puget Sound public transportation, which can be facilitated by ORCA cards. Whatever the case, on April 24, Orcas will be releasing their self-titled debut album via the Berlin-based label Morr Music. A press release notes, “The duo’s music together is a careful balance of chiaroscuro elements, where pop hook and spatial ambience converge. Orcas has [sic] taken an immersive, fluid vector for their passions; a resonant call like sonar from the depths.” Wade over here to listen to the track “Carrion,” and go here to download “Until Then,” a track dedicated to the late Broadcast vocalist Trish Keenan. It’s all quite gorgeous.
Orcas tracklisting:
01. Pallor Cedes
02. Arrow Drawn
03. Standard Error
04. Carrion
05. A Subtle Escape
06. Until Then
07. Certain Abstractions
08. I Saw My Echo
09. High Fences
• Orcas: https://www.facebook.com/weareorcas
• Morr Music: http://www.morrmusic.com
