Gayngs is what happens when Minneapolis producer/instrumentalist Ryan Olson decides to basically do whatever he wants musically, with the help of an all-star collection of musical companions. Olson enlisted members of acclaimed indie acts like Bon Iver, Megafaun, Solid Gold and The Rosebuds to help out, as well as Twin Cities acts of both local and national standing. What started as a passion project snowballed into a set of songs that are hard to classify, most of which were recorded while intoxicated. Many seem to be an homage to the cheesy ballads of the 70′s and 80′s made popular at high school dances and proms, but with a late 2000s indie tinge, although this classification is not so simple, for in this context, “indie” references everything from rock to electronica to soul to hip-hop.
Though every track on Gayngs’ new album, Relayted, clocks in at the playfully chosen tempo of 69 beats per minute, each one still holds its own within the set. In making the album, Olson utilized unorthodox recording techniques, including asking Maggie Morrison (of Digitata and LookBook) to record vocals through a microphone made out of a rotary phone and requiring Doomtree’s Dessa to record her part without ever having heard the music, looked at the lyrics, or been able to ask any questions about the song before actually tracking the take. On Relayted, you will find Rhymesayers/Doomtree rapper P.O.S. crooning a slow ballad on “No Sweat,” his crewmate Dessa singing over mid-tempo electro-pop, and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon closing the album by rapping in a way that references the melodic style of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Whether you love it or hate it, this album is definitely one to check out, even if just to have the experience of listening to what this eclectic group of artists created together. Chances are, even if you don’t love the album, you’ll find something you like. Check out the Gayngs track “Faded High” below, prominently featuring Dessa, Bon Iver, and Maggie Morrison.
(Yes, I called it a “Monday Music Mention” and technically this was posted on a Tuesday. Sue me.)
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