USF
Longtime readers of Impose will no doubt be accustomed to the adventures of USF duo Kyle Hargus & Jason Baxter as they have gone through everything from amusement park name evolutions to interactive video game platforms. As in the spirit of the wintry holiday season, the PNW based artists presented the world with the gift of the new surprise album titled Pacific Decade that is the result of 10 plus years of innovations, interests, influences & indefatigable ambition.
From the startling cover art that depicts fowl creatures devouring a zebra in a dramatic wildlife life scene still; the third USF album Pacific Decade arrives in full attack mode with something to appease longtime fans & new devotees as they enter into the two’s self-styled sophisti-electronic realm of creative treasures. The course of conformity is altered on the mind-dazzling entertainment of “Disruption”, that takes on the infinite palaces of perception with “Iris” that could have been a Pictureplane outtake from the Thee Physical era. Kyle & Jason arrange their dance-designed music approach differently than most, where the two manage to manufacture a certain ghost within their track machines of electronic sequence networking. This can be witnessed on the spirit soaring song “Like Mine”, to the intricate & swiftly speeding sonic signals that punctuate the mesmerizing mysteries of “No Headlights”, spelunking into the emerald deep of “Caved In”, right before treating the listener to what could be the coolest NatGeo special soundtrack on the fluttering museum showcase score—”Carnivore Exhibit”. Interplanetary interpersonal dynamics can be felt on the expressive “Venus and Saturn” that orbits into the late night light show adventure, “Midnight Chaser”, to observing the pious icons from future canons on “Fragile Saints”, skipping to the shores of the fancy life on “Return to Malibu”, leaving the audience with “Tonight (Say It’s Gonna Be Alright)” where Kyle & Jason save their most evocative array of electronic elements & keys for last. Let USF lead you serenely to the foyer of the new year with a sound that can dissolve ice & snow alike in the anticipation for new seasons & newfound experiences.
USF’s own Jason Baxter penned the following thoughtful introductory preface for the new album:
As threatened, there is indeed a new USF album. This was years in the making, and I feel like I should say something really thoughtful here but honestly I just hope people enjoy it. Kyle Hargus is a musical genius/the best collaborator I could ever have asked for and is responsible for a majority of what you will hear on this release. Our thanks to Matthew Tammariello for doing a bang-up job on the mastering, and for anyone who was or has remained a fan throughout our eight years of banging on keys and twiddling knobs.
Lastly, a special shout-out to our musical kindred spirits and former Seattleites Big Spider’s Back and Secret Colors, who also released amazing music this year. Feels only right that we should sneak up at the last minute and join the de facto reunion party.
