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A new EP from Troth, following up their brilliant third album Forget The Curse released earlier this year. An EP of sorts, as these six wonderful tracks clocks in at over 31 minutes! A double one-disc EP? No matter what, Idle Easel sees the band in a transitional period, as the duo of Amelia Besseny and Cooper Bowman left Newcastle for Hobart, Tasmania during the recording sessions. The record has this heavy feeling of leaving something behind for something new, a feeling that is kind of boosted by the rather melancholic, autumnal presence that runs throughout Idle Easel. Blasting these songs in a currently very rainy Gothenburg in full, blown-out autumn mode certainly adds, but there's more to it than that.
'Wolkenträume' blends prominent Tassie location recordings with sparse keyboard melodies and angel-like singing - which after slowly coming down from an intense Ron Nagorcka period feels like the perfect bridge back to the grim, cold, northern reality. 'Autumnal Hymn' is one of those rather minimal, lovely piano songs courtesy of Amelia, with harmonies that could only be Troth. Placed halfway through the EP, the peculiar 'Kind Of Cure' almost comes like a palette cleanser from the unform. Exquisite thickness, while not exactly jolly, a sort-of eccentric and lush take on folk music. 'Angel Not So Easy' has that hazy club-feel, coming from the same place as the title track on Forget The Curse and the IDDB 7" A-side, always maintaining that glorious DIY-edge. 'Sunflower' further explores the mixture of beats and saxophone hinted at on the last album, here with wobbly, seasick-inducing qualities of the best possible kind. On the closer 'Sentimental Object' you can hear traces of Troth's early cassette days.
- Matthias Andersson/Discreet Music, October 2023