Album of the Week: Toro Y Moi causes confusion

Toro Y Moi: Causers of This

Part of the first allure of Toro Y Moi, 23-year-old South Carolinian Chaz Bundwick’s nom de musique, was the mystique (the odd Spanish-French name, the photo-filled blog) and the burgeoning go-in-any-direction talent. The few early tracks posted on his MySpace page and elsewhere, while rooted in the new chillwave sound, also showed flashes of funk, surf rock (“109,” which found its way onto the Blessa EP) and pop (including his terrific take on “Human Nature” off a Michael Jackson tribute record). A bunch of those songs have made it to the full-length Causers of This CD, including the hard-to-pin title track and the stop-start treat of “Talamak.” But aside from new song “Low Shoulder,” the rest of Causers of This is less invigorating and more chillwave-y than I expected. Odd. B

Toro Y Moi: Causers of This (from RCRD LBL)
from the CD Causers of This
MP3 • • MYSPACE • OFFICIAL SITE

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