Krazy Baldhead: The Noise in the Sky

Much of the Ed Banger catalogue seems aimed at the younger end of the hipster spectrum, considering the ADD addled work of Justice, the digital demise of post-analog Mr. Oizo, and especially the style-over-substance hyperactivity of Uffie. True to form, the sophomore album by Pierre-Antoine Grison as Krazy Baldhead shifts through moods, textures, and tempos as fast as a View-Master, and yet The Noise in the Sky shows a surprising amount of maturity for a producer whose early 2006 single set him up to be a “Crazy Moth3f2ck8z”. Unlike recent albums by Oizo, SebastiAn, and Justice, The Noise in the Sky has a comparatively relaxed pace, peppered with half time grooves, delayed downtempo, and plodding electro-funk. “Must There Be An Angel?” is stretched out so far that its samples are turned jagged. There are party tracks on here as well, but they’re parceled out evenly throughout the tracklisting. Through his efforts, Grison allows the time to enjoy the journey rather than careening listeners from one place to another. His patience pays off with many memorable moments, telling a more in-depth story along the way.