Babe Rainbow
Falling Apart (Kinky Beggar)

Cameron Reed used to be a staple of Vancouver’s local music scene, but these days he’s living in Toronto following a stint in How to Dress Well’s touring band. From the sound of things, Reed has been soaking up a lot of new influences during his time in Hogtown, since his debut full-length as Babe Rainbow, Falling Apart, marks a sonic shift from his prior EPs.

Unlike the menacing horror-movie dub of Babe Rainbow’s back catalogue, these 10 songs are often nothing short of lovely: opener “Dub Music” begins the album with sublimely minimal ambience, while the fluttering rhythms and alien electronic swells of “Twin Peaks” recall the IDM textures of Boards of Canada, and the swirl of “Swept Stairs” builds to a toe-tapping groove with the entrance of a playful bass line.

At times, Falling Apart sounds almost goofy: the spacious keyboard stabs of the title track are occasionally replaced by quirkily high-pitched synth melodies, while the computerized pulse of “The Bells” briefly transports listeners to a tropical island and then abruptly gives way to a smooth and syrupy guitar break. These moments are eclectic and fun, giving Babe Rainbow’s futuristic synthscapes a sense of human warmth.

Ultimately, the only real downside to Falling Apart is that Reed made it while living in Toronto, meaning that we can no longer champion him as one of our own.