2025 Spin-Off Results: Tier 5, Week 1

And so it begins! We kick off Tier 5!

Tier 5 consists of Spin-Off challenges between eliminated Tier 1 albums and new music from this Summer.  In my opinion, the Summer albums have a disadvantage here due to general familiarity and momentum from this earlier exposure.  These new albums, however do have the benefit of novelty and immediacy. 

Samaris – Samaris VS. London Grammar – The Greatest Love

London Grammar – The Greatest Love

In terms of mood, this Spin-Off is a dead heat.  Certainly, fans of London Grammar’s twilight urban landscapes will find a lot of common ground with Samaris’ glacial somnambulism.  London Grammar only wins out due to their expanded dynamic and sonic palate.

 

Lucy in Blue – Lucy in Blue VS. Amythyst Kiah – Still + Bright

Amythyst Kiah – Still + Bright

My initial impression of Lucy in Blue was that it was a very solid tribute project to Pink Floyd and that Amythyst Kiah’s kinetic crossbreeding of blues, folk, and indie rock would easily shut it down.  Lucy in Blue, however, revealed itself to be much more than a mere Floyd clone and almost caused a major upset out of the gate.  It was only a couple of minor production quibbles that ended up giving Still + Bright the edge.

 

Heilung – Lifa VS. Magma – Udu Wudu

Magma – Udu Wudu

Magma is inarguably an acquired taste, and there are certainly justifications for critique of their material despite the obvious musicianship and craft that they invested in their work.  Lifa definitely had a path to advance.  I have, however, acquired the taste and find their work fascinating.  Add to that the fact that Heilung is best conceived of as an interdisciplinary project that includes drama and stagecraft and that Lifa doesn’t express these aspects of the overall concept in full, and I think a picture forms that puts Udu Wudu in the lead.

 

Taugadeildin - Þegar dauðir rísa upp VS. Clarence Clarity – Vanishing Act II

Taugadeildin - Þegar dauðir rísa upp

Vanishing Act II starts out incredibly strong.  Its melodic, funky, disorienting, and fun, and superficially it would seem to easily unseat Þegar dauðir rísa upp.  The issue is that the album’s intensity holds at an incredibly high level throughout, to the point where songs begin to blend into one another and become interchangeable, rather like propping one’s eyelids open and staring into a strobe light for 45 minutes.  Taugadeildein instead relies on straightforward, stripped-down, energetic songwriting that seems to transcend the inevitable language barrier.

 

Viewer’s Choice

Samaris – Samaris VS. London Grammar – The Greatest Love

London Grammar – The Greatest Love

Lucy in Blue – Lucy in Blue VS. Amythyst Kiah – Still + Bright

Lucy in Blue – Lucy in Blue

 

Heiling – Lifa VS. Magma – Udu Wudu

Magma – Udu Wudu

 

Taugadeildin - Þegar dauðir rísa upp VS. Clarence Clarity – Vanishing Act II

Clarence Clarity – Vanishing Act II