Grouper is the solo project of Portland’s Liz Harris, an ambient/acoustic songstress. Harris’ songs deviate from conventional acoustic pop and strip things down to a minimalist, dreamy haze. Though Grouper found moderate success after a string of self-released CD-R’s, Harris found her big break with 2008’s Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill. The album solidified Grouper’s cavernous, reverb-laden sound and was featured on many year-end lists. Harris’ next release, the critically acclaimed double EP AIA, was a solid step forward in the Grouper catalog.
“Vital”, the first single off Grouper’s forthcoming odds-and-ends collection, is as hauntingly gorgeous as anything Harris has done. The song features nothing but Harris’ voice and guitar, which glide effortlessly around one another amidst hazy production. “Vital” uses minimalism to create textures seldom heard in the pop paradigm: airy room sounds, guitar creaks and colossal amounts of reverb. I don’t care that I can’t understand any of the words because I don’t think Harris wants them heard. Rather, she approaches her vocals from an atmospheric perspective that functions hand-in-hand with guitar. “Vital” is affecting in a way that most ambient music isn’t and it’s difficult to explain why. Perhaps it is Harris’ delicate, beauteous voice that separates Grouper from fellow ambient artists, especially those who don’t sing. Or perhaps it’s her ear for sparseness in production.
Regardless of why Grouper’s music works so well, “Vital” is a stellar example of her strengths — lovely vocal harmonies, prettily haunting melodies, and unorthodox production techniques. Grouper’s next album, The Man Who Died in His Boat, is out February 4 on Kranky.