Chris Daly is the god of pillow mints
L.A.’s own Christina McGeehan cloaks herself in dichotomy on her latest opus, Alt Mode, dropping Aug. 28 on Unspeakable Records. Though she performs as RYAT, her music is anything but the picture the name conjures. Hers is a diaphanous mixture of large, syrupy beats; spaced-out, blissful electronica; and glamorous pop — with a heaping of dance floor readiness and eclectic hip-hop sensibilities. A riot is an ugly thing that ends poorly for truck drivers and Frankenstein’s monsters. RYAT’s music, by contrast, seems calculated in the best possible way, enveloping, a beckoning hand in a night that’s gone on a bit too long.
Over the course of its 11 tracks, Alt Mode demonstrates a breadth of capabilities with a laser focus intent. RYAT reminds me of everyone from TOKiMONSTA to Astronautica on the production side to Bjork and Lorde without the accents on the mic. Overall, the album retains an otherworldly, electronic feel, but RYAT adds brilliant flourishes, like the guitars in “Another Way” or the softly pounding, ever increasing percussion in the titular “Alt Mode,” that makes this one worthy of repeat listens. To put it bluntly, RYAT clearly doesn’t appear to have time for that one-hit wonder shit. At Arms Length is another stand-out, perhaps the funkiest number here, certainly the one most likely to be bumping at your next Low End Theory Inspired Get Together (TM pending; they’re everywhere these days.)
https://soundcloud.com/unspeakable-records/ryat-drifting-hearts/s-wGu4x?in=unspeakable-records/sets/ryat-alt-mode/s-JsKwP
Today, we’re premiering the album’s second single, “Drifting Hearts.” With its Toonami symphony opening, the synths quickly give way to a more martial beat before RYAT’s vocals march forward. The song continues to grow in intensity until a well deserved cathartic release at the end, a perfect summary for the album itself.
For those of you who happen to find yourself in NYC’s Central Park at the entrance on 72nd and 5th on August 19th at 9 pm near or around the SummerStage’s dance stage and were thinking to yourself, “Self, this Alt Mode sounds like good stuff, but what I’d really to do is experience it as an art show with 3D mapping, dancers and a live set,” well, fuck all, you are in luck!
A RYAT is a beautiful thing. And it’s just about time that we listen to one.
