Ariel Pink is something of a misunderstood genius. He tinkered away in his bedroom for around ten years compiling way out there tunes on lo fi equipment, expecting them to never see the light of day. Five years ago though, he signed to the Animal Collective’s Paw Tracks label, and since has been unleashing these bedroom recordings onto the world building up a cult following. Now, the Ariel Pink snowball is gradually building steam with Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti joining 4AD, and Sunday's set following a rapturously received set at All Tomorrow’s Parties.
Upon entering The Lexington, it's initially hard to tell whether the band are warming up or have started on the main course already. The former appears to be the case but with Ariel Pink’s sonic experimentation you can never tell. As a crowd of bearded disciples wait, the atmosphere seems heavy. Then the band leap into a brace of material from the excellent Doldrums album, including the new psychedelia of 'For Kate I Wait' all while Pink’s trousers hang so low you can see his butt crack. He didn’t seem to care, announcing between songs that we had a great view of it. Now that’s what we call chutzpah.
The set featured a smattering of material across the whole of Ariel Pink’s back catalogue, with some new songs thrown in for good measure. At times it is hard to tell where songs begin and end, and whether Pink is improvising. The band may produce the sound of a radio being tuned in and out repetitively but beneath the sonic experimentation there are some gorgeous melodies with the sleazy disco of 'Life In LA' comes across like the bastard offspring of The Rolling Stones' 'Miss You'.
With new buzz artists Gold Panda,Washed Out and Neon Indian either citing or being compared to Ariel Pink, he may yet have his moment in the sun.
Nick Levine
