Australian country and outsider blues shape the sonic landscape of NC Ives' latest album, "Home Sweet Home". It was released three months ago, and I swear it hasn't left my speakers since. There's something incredibly alluring and hypnagogic about it that I can't quite pin down. It has the same kind of eerie mood that Twin Peaks radiates, with a hint of Dirty Beaches. Ives manages to inject some more lighthearted moments here and there (like the RJD2-inspired hip-hop beat in "Streetwalker" or the tambourine and looped female vocals in "Beg U" which give off a warmer vibe), but ultimately, it's the elements of doom jazz, sad crooning, and droning guitar that define the album's haunting core. Incredible record from start to finish.
Buy and download this album here. Stream below.