GROUPER

The word 'grouper' comes from the name of a type of deep swimming fish found in warm and tropical seas. In another case, 'Garoupa' is in the Russian dialect of the Enchained Forest region of Siberia. Then, a particularly different Grouper, my favourite of all, is actually Elizabeth (Liz) Harris from Portland, Oregon. Though she has been releasing music since 2005 (Way Their Crept (2005), Wide (2006), and Cover The Windows And Walls (2007)), Grouper has only just recently begin to recieve the attention she well deserves, with the arrival of her new album, the creepily named 'Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill'. Not much information is provided on Liz Harris, and perhaps this mystery is a good thing, for it will just have to let the music speak for itself.
What I feel from Grouper's music is it being somewhat of a hazy dream, one of the ones you get when you are sore with the cold and the world appears dim and you are very forgetful...yet years later, you can recall those peaceful hours of sleep and beautiful dreams that occured. The music is melodic and the vocals are wispy and ethereal, though I have yet to know of the lyrics. Although built on a guitar, vocals and some special filtering and processing, the atmospheric feel of Grouper's music is absolutely immense, almost overwhelming. The earlier albums are more oriented on a drone style, more focused on that form of escalating ambient sound. The newest album, Dragging A Dead Dear Up A Hill has revolutionised the sound of Grouper, bringing a more melodic dream pop quality to the already wonderful music. The sound is dark but yet always dotted with the feeling of hope. The track 'Heavy Water/I'd Rather Be Sleeping' especially reflects this aspect for me; I'm imagining a girl walking through the street calmy, observing a surrounding chaos that is slowly resolving on her peaceful behalf. All these images are accompanied by a slightly vignetted, unfocused effect, which makes me wonder whether Grouper's music actually exists or whether this is all just some wonderful dream.

Listen!
Disengaged
Heavy Water/I'd Rather Be Sleeping
Make Me Over

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