Rewinding a bit tonight to take a look back at Louis Cole's 2018 album Time because it's banger. Do you need me to explain why to you? Ok. Since you're here... Louis is one-half of the funky pop experiment Knower. If you don't know who they are, they're like Broods, but with more of a sense of humor... and a better sense of rhythm (no shade to Broods, but a king [and queen] have got to have their crown).
Both this sense of humor and outlandishly tight knack for groove are carried over to Louis's debut for Brainfeeder, Time- which I want to believe is named for Todd Terjie's 2014 album It's Album Time, but I have no way of confirming this fact (outside of asking the man, or looking it up... something or other that would require more initiative then I have right now).
Louis's admittance to rhythm and beat Valhalla was earned through his work with pioneering bass player Thundercat (and probably helped by the viral success of his uncomfortably relatable viral song and video "Bank Account") and it seems like a natural home for him. His approach to funk and jazz seems to be of the "go anywhere" and "do anything" and "only god can judge me" variety, which definitely makes him compatible with the adventurous spirit of the label.
Louis is best known for his drum work, but he actually plays every instrument on Time (well, almost, he hired some people to do the string sections), a fact that becomes somewhat bewildering when attempting to keep track of all of the counter-rhythms as they overlap- any one of which could be the foundation for a solid funk jam on its own, but when they start to stack and intersect... shit gets weird- in a good way!
I'm thinking specifically of the way that the skinny, bumping synth-lines kind of bounce off of each other on "Weird Part of the Night," sending out neon sparks to light the passage of all you night owls out there (... and honestly, if you're not getting your best ideas at 4am, then you're not doing your best work- I'm sorry to say). I also feel like a part of my brain will forever be captive to the bombastic, crunchy grandeur of "Real Life." Then there is the way that every new element on "Freaky Times" feels like it's literally in a race with the part that proceeded it, which just accelerates the manic energy of the whole deranged jaunt.
And in case you thought Louis has started taking himself too seriously on this release, there is a sensual soul and string orchestra number called "After the Load is Blown" which is definitely about post-coital reflections, and a bunch of other deep stuff that I'm not even going to try and speculate on right now because it might get too gooey and existential, and I have to go pee now- a lot like cleaning up after sex, actually.
So in sum... there is never really a bad time to enjoy Louis Cole's Time. Whether it's day or night, dusk or noon, or some point in the morning when you are surfing the internet long, after you should have gone to bed... you know, whenever. It's good stuff!
