The Standoffish Cat is the 2008 debut album from Manchester female IDM artist Hannah Davidson, AKA Mrs Jynx. Residing on the Planet µ label alongside such staples as µ-Ziq and Venetian Snares, Mrs Jynx has only released one album to date but has received quite a lot of praise within the IDM community for bringing back a sense of warm nostalgia for the experimental electronic sounds of the mid 90's when groups such as Autechre were still new.
Listening to the album, one gets a sense of naturalistic serenity and it is this very aesthetic that makes the electronic sounds of Mrs Jynx so appealing. From opening track
Wooshgone to closing track
Chocolate Oranges the entire album paints a wonderful ambient mood, constantly punctuated by exciting flirtations with melody and rhythm. The drum beat of
Trigger For A Train of Thought is a prime example of this, unobtrusive synths weave around it magically lending an exotic flavour that is typical of much of
The Standoffish Cat.
My Friend T3 (Remix of Resynthesize) plays with some gorgeous chiming piano loops, its underpinning melodies just sounding so damn right.
Pillow feels just like an outtake from Hiroki Kikuta's stellar work on the Secret of Mana soundtrack. The jangly simulated acoustic guitar of
Ice Pops reflects off the crystal clear production of the electronics behind it, sounding wonderful. I could go on and on, but there really isn't a weak spot to be found here.
The Standoffish Cat is some stellar work from a promising female IDM artist, who brings a natural aesthetic to the table without reducing her output to mere ambient filler. It's the perfect chillout album, completely non-obtrusive but managing to remain an exciting, stimulating listen. This is definitely an artist to watch out for.
