Band : Infinite Posse
Album Reviewed : A Stereo Couple
Produced By : Sunburn Records

First thoughts first, and my first thought is, "Infinite Posse is a funny name for a duet.", but hell, I suppose infinite applies just as inaccurately to two people as it does any other finite number, so it really doesn’t create that much of a discrepancy , but the name’s kind of a sticking issue with me.

I don’t imagine most people, when they first grab a cd released under the band name ‘Infinite Posse’ are prepared for what they get. I certainly wasn’t. I expected, honestly, something more along the lines of a ‘Fat Boy Slim’ rip off band or some such thing. What I got instead was an album of very melodic, tranquil electronica that I immediately fell in love with. Though I’ve expressed my opinion of the ‘electronica/techno’ classification system in my music review synopsis, if I had to place Infinite Posse I’d say it meandered somewhere in the realm of drum and base or IDM, but who cares? Listen to it and make your own judgments. (About the category of music, of course. As regards to how you feel about Infinite Posse, it has already been determined that you will love them.)

I always describe Infinite Posse as sounding like what Portishead would sound like if they were any good. It’s not that I HATE Portishead, it’s just that I don’t particularly like them, either. Not that Infinite Posse is dark as Portishead, but it contains the same mellow undertones and precision, only more so and with a better feel towards both the melody and the harmony of the separate pieces. Also, whereas Portishead creates a mood that meanders around ‘gothic’, or at least the more melancholy side of blues, Infinite Posse creates an atmosphere I compare with tranquil contentment.

As near as I can tell, Infinite Posse is made up of Adie White, the female vocalist whose precise and beautiful voice will invigorate your passion for female vocalists, and Lee Howard, who is responsible for just about everything else (isn’t this where I’m supposed to find a way to use the phrase ‘self styled’?).

For those of you who are really into the flat tones and grating vocals too many artists, especially among female pop-rock singers, then you’ll be disappointed by the clarity of Adie White. Now, I’ll admit that I don’t know much about singing as a profession. When I sing, people die. But to my ear, her range is wide, her tone, perfect. It’s a delight to listen to, I’d go so far as to even say ‘soothing’, as in soothes the soul.

Lee Howard’s music is often simple, with a basic repeating notion which evolves and morphs slowly and subtly throughout the song. Once again, those looking for rapid, in-your-face or seriously complex pieces might look elsewhere for their music. The effects of songs like ‘Ms. Maya’ will charm you with its quiet and indistinct approach more than with its cutting edge experimentation. Not that I’m calling it minimalism or simple, because it’s neither, but it is music which allows you to fully realize and enjoy every aspect of the music, as opposed to layering the sound so thickly that half of the effect is blended away in a flood of competing noises.

But enough of all that. It’s fucking good music, and that’s all there is to it. Listen to it on any occasion; you can even dance to it provided no one needs to wear themselves out or you mix in a heavier beat behind it. The trick you might have, of course, is finding it. Infinite Posse isn’t the most well known band out there, and unless you’re in a large metropolitan area and have someplace better than Camelot or Hastings to get your music, you might have to special order it. But it’s more than worth it, and there’s hardly a music collection that won’t enjoy a little Infinite Posse to round out the mix. Tranquil, baby!