John Maus: Love Is Real 12″

Description

Broadly cut from the synth pop cloth, enigmatic Austin, MN musicianJohn Maushas fashioned the frosty minimalism of its fabric into a cloak of infinite meaning, genuine grace and absurdist humor over the course of five defining albums since 2006, most recently being 2017’sScreen Memoriesand 2018’sAddendum. Ribbon Music is pleased to present heavyweight180g vinyl reissuesof Maus’s long out of print first three full length albums –Songs(2006),Love Is Real(2007) andWe Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves(2011) – withaudio sourced from the original masters and lacquers cut at Abbey Road Mastering.

Questing synthesizers, tensely strung bass lines and chasing drum machines provide the perfect backdrop for Maus’s deeply resonant reverb-drenched vocals. Born in the decade of synth pop and sharing his birthday with George Frideric Handel, John started making music when Nirvana posters went up on every teenager’s wall. It’s this curious conflux of influences that help to describe John’s music. It’s a world where the Germs jam with Jerry Goldsmith, Cabaret Voltaire relocate to Eternia and Josquin des Prez writes a new score forRoboCop. The confrontation of punk, the fleeting poignancy of ’80s movie soundtracks, the insistent pulse of Moroder and the spirituality of Medieval and Baroque music all find salvation in his music.

John’s debut album proper entitledSongswas released through Upset The Rhythm in 2006. It’s a record permeated with aching memories; a perfect testimony to lost romance and longing. It’s awe-inspired follow-upLove Is Real(released on UTR, 2007) proved a more cohesive listen in terms of focus and emotional depth.