From his sample-heavy chillwave days of Causers of This to the guitar rock of 2015's What For?, Chaz Bundick aka Toro Y Moi has continued to shift his sound. For Live from Trona, an audio-visual project recorded live in a dried up basin at Trona, California (about 3 hours north of LA), Bundick enlists a full band to revisit songs from his catalog, all the while introducing a new song, on which he collaborated with twin jazz duo The Mattison 2 ("JBS"). The mood leans heavily toward psychedelic rock (accompanying video really complements the tone and ups the outworldliness, check it out on Vimeo, discount code included w/ record), and the sound is more fleshed out, thanks to the 5-instrument backup. Check out the instrumental opener "Divina" and "Still Sound" from Underneath The Pine, or "Say That" and "High Living" from Anything In Return. "Grown Up Calls," also from the 2013 album, is another highlight, and make sure to listen to the aforesaid collaborative number.

• desert pink vinyl pressing
• includes digital download
• includes discount code for Vimeo film of same title
• music label: Carpark Records 2016

reviewed by kanim 11/2016