Dusk is the third Ultimate Painting album, a well-oiled psychedelic folk machine made up from Jack Cooper and James Hoare . Both come from severely underrated bands, Mazes and Veronica Falls. What first brought me into their world is how their writing styles melted together. Ultimate Painting had enough distorted moments to jolt you from your zoning out, but then you could float back into a beanbag, letting the relaxing atmosphere soothe you. Green Lanes, out last year, was a meditative affair. I’d be lying if I didn’t accept that ‘The Ocean’ had this magical feeling of longing and that’s why I got hooked on that one. What Green Lanes accomplished was syncing Cooper and Hoare‘s writing styles.
Now comes Dusk, out on Trouble in Mind records. It’s the perfect name for the album, as the feelings of sunsets do come across. There’s an inherent sadness in Ultimate Painting‘s work, but it doesn’t feel like it stems from depression. It’s that sadness attached to reflection, to that self-assessment you do when something is finished. End of a day. End of a season. End of year. Something has changed and with the good and bad that change bring, there’s a certain unnamed feeling creeping by. That feeling is evoked by Dusk.
‘Portrait of Jason’ in particular fits this description. Relaxed pace, minimalist arrangements, and enough atmosphere to terraform an old barren planet. The inclusion of a Rhodes in several tracks, like ‘Lead the Way’, enriches the atmosphere. A bit of gospel? Perhaps, it’s a grand old instrument and letting it shine like it does in this track gives the band its own sound. This sound, developed by this constant release schedule, is now fully evolved and it makes Dusk a highlight in their career:
The Fat Angel Sings 