Worm Is Green – To Them We Are Only Shadows
Worm is Green are an Icelandic downtempo quartet whose brand of electronica is more ‘hop’ than ‘trip’ if I’m honest I hardly knew of them until I came to do an assignment on remixing, where we interviewed a bunch of artists and mixers about the art and meaning of remixing. The results of that were both surprising and revealing. I learned a good deal and many of my preconceptions were blown away. I also fell under the spell of Worm Is Green.
The title track here makes for a pulsating album opener that is tough to dislike. We are into the realm of boy girl vocals and warm, twinkly keys. There are definite pop sensibilities too. ’Let’s just live my love’ is a mega hit in some Lynchian alternate reality. ‘Form a Single Line’ grinds somewhat. Not quite to a halt but certainly a stagger, threatening to stall. That was clearly the effect WIG were going after but it still doesn’t make for a favourite.
I have to come back a bit on the vocals, and particularly the female vocal (forgive me if I don’t name our siren, those Icelandic names, I just don’t want to make a blunder) I love them. The aforementioned ‘Lets just live my love’ has that anaemic, bland quality that’s so heightened it becomes incredibly sexy. Does that make sense? Think Dubstar, Saint Etienne, and even fellow Icelanders múm. ‘Voices’ recalls [sic] fave Plum.
‘The eventual end’ comes somewhat illogically in the middle. And in truth it is something of a missed opportunity. I thought with the line “the last show on earth” that they could have done something really powerful here. Instead it is a bleepy throwaway pop that leads us into standout downtempo number ‘The Music’ where the bass in particular is superb.
Yes they have a funny name. Yes they are from Iceland and do downtempo electronic music. Yet To them we are only shadows is very accessible and very likeable. More please.
That ‘remixing’ article in full.