It's hard not to immediately compare
Nathan Michel's
Dear Bicycle to
Frank Zappa's
Civilization Phase III. All of the elements are there: the hummable but strangely dissonant melodies, the fresh-sounding percussion workouts, and the quirky sense of humor that graced the majority of
Zappa's works. But it's not all about
Zappa either; there's a trace element of
Captain Beefheart,
Stravinsky, and modern-day artists like labelmate
Kid 606 that, when put together, form the basis of
Michel's extremely fresh approach to IDM composition. Much like madman/genius
Brian Wilson,
Michel juxtaposes instruments with such bright and resilient tones over one another that amid the frenetic chaos of the arrangements it somehow makes sense. It's a perfect fusion of the academic sensibilities and rampant aesthetic Tigerbeat so fiercely holds near and dear to their hearts. Easily one of the most challenging listens in their catalog and essential for fans of both camps. ~ Rob Theakston