Altered Zones

Trouble Books teamed up with Emeralds' Mark McGuire for a collaboration that is as beautifully serene as it is monumental, marking McGuire's first outing as a vocalist. Track titles are a nod to nature. "Floating through Summer" is filled with halcyon warmth, while "Hoop Earrings in the Slush" has a more somber tone. The eight-track, self-titled LP's minimal approach to sound bridges the fine line between ambient pop and nature relaxation tapes. Although meditative, Trouble Books & Mark McGuire never spares a dull moment. Its intermittent percussive clatter sounds are similar to cicadas, while the subtle guitar loops build gradually like lapping pools of water as the album comes quietly to its inevitable end. --Jasmine Zhu, Altered Zones

Trouble Books & Mark McGuire: Trouble Books & Mark McGuire

Pick up Trouble Books & Mark McGuire, now out on Bark & Hiss. You can also pre-order Mark's new solo album Get Lost from Editions Mego.