Alex Manrique
Giraffage is one of those artists who seems to always get brought up at parties by the cool friend of a friend who is really into music. This friend of a friend goes on to wax poetic about Giraffage’s musicality, how great he is live, and how he is going to be “huge.” As you listen to this ringing endorsement, you promise that you’re going to check out his music as soon as you get home, but by the next morning, that promise is but a blurry, drunken memory alongside the one of that girl from DG who fell off that coffee table and had to be carried home. In reality, Giraffage is more than the untouchable musical ascetic that exists only in the tales of inebriated acquaintances, and is simply 23 year-old multi-instrumentalist/producer Charlie Yin of San Francisco. As I’m sure your party pal has already told you, Giraffage combines electronic, synth, dream-pop, lo-fi, and a number of other genres, which creates a compelling musical enigma. However, this is one that is definitely worth solving. Giraffage recently dropped his newest EP No Reason in Nov. of 2014, and is now kicking off his North American tour.
The album starts with the appropriately titled song, “Hello.” However, this friendly greeting is done away with pretty quickly, as you’re immediately blasted with a loud synthesizer along with the lyrics, “I just want to hear that we’re okay.” Unlike most electronic music, there is no drop with a heavy bass slamming your ears. Instead, a mellow synth with sounds of iPhone texts, dial tones, and old telephone sounds create an eclectic tune with the style we’ve all come to love from Giraffage. The second track “Tell Me” is my personal favorite, with a unique drop with sounds of what I can best describe as rain droplets along with a mellow synth and a myriad of other sounds mixed perfectly. Make sure to bump the last minute of “Anxiety” loud. I found myself unable to hold back my foot-tapping and head-bobbing. Unfortunately, this EP comes to an end at track number six, “Be With You,” leaving you wanting more.
Maybe it’s not such a bad thing that the EP is so short. I mean, it is an EP. Short and sweet, right? No worries, because Giraffage has a lot more music you should all check out, as well as some really good remixes of popular songs such as R. Kelly’s “Ignition” and Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the USA.”
If there’s really one thing about Giraffage that I commend is his ability to create good vibes. Want to go to the beach and drink a few beers? Want to have a kickback at your place and just chill? Studying all night? Are you driving a five-hour drive back home for break? The versatility of his music is my favorite thing about him. You might not hear his music at the next rager on DP, but maybe you should.
With Giraffage, you can now say goodbye to the dreaded anxiety of being handed the aux cord at the next kick back, and confidently scroll down to “G” for Giraffage on your iTunes, and play No Reason. Sit back and soak up the compliments to your strange, but amazingly good music taste.
Giraffage will be touring his new EP this year, and will be in Santa Barbara at the EOS Lounge on Feb. 27 for $12. I’ll see you there.