At the time of this debut release, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and vocalist
Jonti was a bit of a mystery, the main bullet points being he once won a contest where a collaboration with
Mark Ronson was the prize, he was the first Australian signed to the taste-making label Stones Throw, and that’s about it. It seemed like humility and maybe shyness rather than being obscure for obscurity’s sake, which is also the charm of Twirligig. This is a mysterious effort that could drive fellow producers crazy if they try to deconstruct it, although giving up the “How did he do it?” question is easy as the warm, fuzzy melodies take hold almost instantly. Think of a
Madlib-loving
Plone or a more adorable version of either
Flying Lotus or
James Pants and you’re in the general vicinity, and then add hints of the quirky avant-garde (check “Nodlews Way Home” for some very
Residents moments) and you’re very close. Vocal tracks bring in pop and rap elements with
Beach Boys harmonies filling “Koi Moons Daughter,” while former Co-Deez member Otayo Dubb drives “Cyclic Love” home with some
EPMD-like moves. All this genre-borrowing hangs together effortlessly with
Jonti’s unique voice as its anchor, so let your laptop-hovering friends worry about the complex constructions while you enjoy Twirligig’s simple pleasures. ~ David Jeffries