I was slightly wary before listening to Rusty Santos' debut album High Reality. Santos' most notable post on his CV is probably as producer of Animal Collective and they're a band I certainly have mixed emotions about. He's also work with Dirty Projectors, Born Ruffians and Beach House so probably my trepidation would not be justified.
But no, High Reality certainly sounds like a record made by someone with Animal Collective connections. It's arty and verges on the irritating and self-indulgent on occasion. There are beeps and indulgences that strike me as self-indulgent. It's not a record I'll listen to in its entirity again.
But there are immense compensations. Opener Dream in Stereo is one of the best alternative pop songs I've heard this. It reminds me of peak period R.E.M. where Michael Stipe really began to open out and emote from Document to Automatic.
Stipe could verge on the annoying during these years and High Reality is certainly irritating in patches. Santos though on occasion locates the moments where Stipe, as well as the Elephant 6 collective bands, Flaming Lips, They Might Be Giants and others made the outre completely accessible.
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