Hamilton, Ontario musician Drew Smith has become almost as referenced for his creative approach to producing videos of his songs as he is for making the music itself. A few months ago, a lovely and evocative video for the song, Love Teeth, was produced by South Korean animator Sohee Jeon, Smith’s former ESL student. More recently, Drew Smith’s decision to outsource the video for Smoke and Mirrors to Asha Sarella, a teacher with a dance company in Bangalore, resulted in a beautifully choreographed Bollywood production. Oh yeah, and a feature in The New York Times.
Both songs appear on Drew Smith’s second album, The Secret Languages, a sonic web of melodic entrapment. Smith has a boldly ethereal voice, with qualities somewhat reminiscent of Thom Yorke, which floats over and weaves throughout richly layered instrumentation. There is a decadent complexity to The Secret Languages, a languorous escalation of sound textures that draws you in and hold you close.
There’s a confidence to The Secret Languagesthat belies its sophomore status. With an assurance far more suited to a musician with a dozen albums and a handful of world tours behind him, Smith lays down ten solid tracks that just beg you to continually hit the repeat button. Not bad for a self-produced album.
I loved this album.
