- We hear hordes of new music that sounds retro these days—painstakingly retro much of the time. But something sounds off about SFV Acid's rendering of his namesake obsession. Too laidback to really elicit much jacking, the five grooves on Neighborhood Archives, Reynolds's first for New York's proudly off-kilter UNO label, really wouldn't be "acid" at all if he didn't have a 303 in his arsenal.
In its heart of hearts, Neighborhood Archives is a chill out record, something to throw on as your brain reboots late on a Sunday morning. First up is "Ashland Summer," with a sweetly uplifting melody that emanates from somewhere a solid half-mile behind its zappy (if relatively rote) bassline. "Seaside Cruisin' Tribe" does away with bass altogether, propelled instead by vaguely electro drums and a melody that seems to leap out from a faded photograph you found in your parents' attic.
For whatever reason—I'm guessing it's got something to do with their unedited feel—the next two tracks are both called "As Is." The first has without question the most alluring feel of anything on this record, though over the course of seven-and-a-half minutes, it's cloyingly static: its intricately fidgeting drums and lively 303 line are thoroughly engaging, but those same three churchbell-ish chords played ad nauseum are not. The second could also use some paring down, though its runtime doesn't sabotage it to quite the same extent. Regardless, both tracks could have lent some of their minutes to (or taken some lessons) from the spritely "Bean Criteria," a brief moment of clarity after some of the record's more zoneout-inducing beats.
Tracklist01. Ashland Slumber
02. Seaside Cruisin' Tribe
03. As Is
04. As Is
05. Bean Criteria