Consider Brian May and Cox: both began as ambitious physicists who went on to contribute to wildly successful bands (Queen and Dare, respectively). Or actors, for example; Game of Throne’s Iwan Rheon has an impressive musical catalogue – as does Harry Potter’s Tom Felton. However, despite his number of books that illustrate his lifelong love and involvement in music, from childhood bands to penning a novel detailing every good release of that year, I don’t think anyone quite expected renowned comedian James Acaster’s next move to be this.
Acaster’s debut album, under the moniker Temps, features an impressive number of collaborations, and a forty-strong musical army, many of which have been plucked from his book “Perfect Sound Whatever” (for example, Xenia Rubinos).
Sitting at ten tracks long, the amusingly titled Party Gator Purgatory whisks through freeform rap (“lookaliveandplaydead”), chilling electronics, and almost cacophonous vocals to make, what could be argued, as the most bizarrely interesting record of the 21st century. The album moves through percussion-heavy cuts (“kept”), low, smooth vocalisations (“no,no”) and sultry basslines (“bleedthemtoxins”), constantly boasting a variety that a musician rarely achieves, even through careers spanning decades.
Acting as the main vocals throughout, Quelle Chris holds as the biggest contributive backbone of Party Gator Purgatory, seemingly only letting up for the occasional featuring of Xenia Rubinos, amongst a few others. With this record, Acaster takes a deep dive into the world of heavily experimental soundscapes, stating he “saw it as a strength that I didn’t know what I was doing”.
Owing to the incredibly unique nature of the music produced, the record doesn’t have a stand-out track, but rather an album where each number is brilliant in its own right. Party Gator Purgatory can’t be pinned down; it transcends genres, which is what simply makes it so wildly fantastic. If you’re bored of your current playlist, or looking for some exciting, fresh musicians, Temps might just be the project for you.
