Although not featured in our website's columns as often as other projects by New Yorker Eddie Palmer (including Cloudwarmer, Aries Death Cult or the late great The Fucked Up Beat, in addition to his solo albums), this more acoustic and psychedelic duo associating him with multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Christine Annarino has shown great consistency over the span of its ten years of existence, with about fifteen releases so far.

After dropping earlier this year the excellent "Valkyrie", representative of the band's signature sound somewhere between mystical trip-hop with "world music" elements, densely arranged downtempo psychedelics and hedonistic electronic touches, we imagined that Fields Ohio would go on with that "great Ninja Tune era" trademark with its follow-up. Not exactly though ! Even if "Don't Stare at the Sun When Your Hands are on Fire" remains consistent with that henceforth well-known DNA, it also gives the two musicians the opportunity to subtly reinvent themselves. The beats here are often more subdued, the textures more dreamlike and bursting with reverb in tune with Eddie's scintillating synth pads, Christine's acoustic and vocal lines melt into the whole with more homogeneity, and the melodies' fluidity evoke water, an omnipresent element on the record.

The contemplation of the Hudson River from his New York apartment or his outings by the ocean indeed help Eddie Palmer to focus on the present, another central theme of the album. "Don't Stare at the Sun When Your Hands are on Fire" thus sounds like a reminder, in these moments of chaos that life has in store for us: facing the problems one by one, one day after another, without worrying too much about a still distant and abstract future. So many sensations - the horizon, impermanence and abstraction - which preside over the impressionistic and hypnotic groove of this impressive new collection of instrumentals.

Released August 27 2023
by
IRM Netlabel
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Fields Ohio is Christine Annarino and Eddie Palmer. Long Distance collaboration from Ohio to New York. Lofi Beats, banjo, ukulele, guitar, bass, percussion, synths and keys.
Since 2013.
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