Halou

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More About

• Ryan Coseboom
• Sneaker Pimps
• Rebecca Coseboom
• Electronic Music

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On its third album Wholeness and Separation, S.F. trio Halou finds strength in surface and texture. Ethereal sounds unfurl like gossamer, and Rebecca Coseboom sings on "Tubefed," "We appeal to your basic nature ... You won't have to think too hard." The song is an indictment of TV culture, but it could easily be an analysis of the temporal delights Halou offers. Ryan Coseboom and engineer Count's tracks are slow and balletic, mixing light electronic beats (à la Sneaker Pimps) and gothic undertones. Many of the disc's songs, particularly "Honeythief" and "Wholeness," are catching, though they all tend to sound alike. As a singer whose voice ranges from sweet and delicate to sharp and hard, Coseboom stands up well amid the music around her. But she doesn't anchor herself in distinctive lyrics, instead offering vague poesy like "How can I learn to let go/ Now that you have shown/ That you are strong enough/ But I am not" on "Wholeness." Still, Wholeness and Separationis undeniably sensuous. To enjoy it, though, you may have to suspend your imagination, and refrain from looking for deeper meanings.