Like the schizoid edition of Tame Impala, Shmu composer Sam Chown throws a kitchen sink of influence and experimentation at his sophomore full-length. Early single “Pictionary” substantiates as standout, its drone tremolo tone revealing the concurrent Zorch drummer’s My Bloody Valentine backbone. Built around the local’s kit and sampler, the 29-year-old Toronto native “recycles” sounds and song iterations, his unique brand of bizarro pop the upshot. A wholly esoteric listen, the disc finds the Berklee grad’s skills leveling the abstruseness of some cuts, like the In Rainbows-era Radiohead reminiscent “Sensory Glitch,” and “Diamonds,” which pairs shoegaze tones with manic glitch-pop beats. At 50 minutes, the 13 tracks transmit a touch overcommitted following the stutter loop saturating “Dirty Sanchez,” and near 13-minute closer “Harmonic.” Even so, the complexities of Shhh!!!! whet intrigue into Chown’s idiosyncratic mind.
This article appears in November 20 • 2015.