Jib Kidder is one of the monikers of super prolific multimedia collagist and musician Sean Schuster-Craig, who splits his time between LA and NYC, and who has already released a handful of albums since 2008. His latest, out earlier this year, is entitled "Teaspoon to the Ocean" and sounds quite literally like the equivalent of a kaleidoscope for the ear. His music is unapologetically psychedelic, in a quirky, super-creative way. Jib is the kind of artist who seems to make it a priority to produce songs that have something bizarre and unexpected to them. His melodies, his vocals, his arrangements, even his drum parts deliver surprise after surprise. A vocoder finds its way into opener ‘Remove a Tooth," which manages to be droney and groovy at once, while sounding like an electronic version of Gregorian chants. Following track "In Between" flirts with Indian influences with a hilarious hiccup sample slightly interfering with the vocals. Song after song we are presented with ever changing, unlikely sonic scenarios that work like clockwork. But despite the variety of ideas, sounds and textures, the record maintains an incredible uniformity. Like a child who found a toy that will satisfy his curiosity until the end of days, Jib seems to possess an unlimited supply of inspiration, and the necessary production skills to translate it into relevent, exciting, and unique psychedelia. If he’ll manage to incorporate more harmonic variation (read: choruses and bridges) in his next record, he could become a new, even more bizarre and wildly creative Mac DeMarco. – PDG
