www.myspace.com/theworldonhigherdowns
試聽：
Plop新出發第二作：來自美國威斯康辛州的四人組，樂風受到Slowdive和Labradford等shoegazing團體影響，從早期兩名團員在臥房錄製的鍵盤、重效果吉他、小提琴片段之骨幹，經過另外兩人加入而豐富了其血肉，雖然不乏電子聲響元素，卻聰明規避過於花俏的數位拼貼手法，而透過較為有機的方式讓整體聲響更加柔順、富有層次，例如運用如鐵琴、木琴和音高各不相同的打擊樂器，巧妙模糊了數位與原音聲響的分野，也更烘托出樂團的最大特色：兼具了類比的溫暖舒適感與數位的前衛個性，讓人無法斷定這音樂是屬於搖滾或電子的背景，因此成就了迷人的獨創性。
The World On Higher Downs is a four piece group whose key members consist of NATHANIEL RITTER, TROY SCHAFER, ERIC BRAY and VINCENT WACHOWIAK, whom all reside in different cities of Wisconsin, USA. What started out as a loose idea based upon multiple collaborations, eventually blossomed into what is now known as 'Land Patterns', their debut CD on Tokyo based label Plop.
The World On Higher Downs was birthed out of Troy Schafer and Nathaniel Ritter's bedroom recording sessions that began in late spring of 2005, which mostly consisted of keyboards, heavily effected electric guitar, and violin. After a few months of steady writing and recording, Nate's childhood friend Vince Wachowiak was brought in to help add a few parts to the beginning sketches. Soon after, Eric Bray was sent the base tracks to which he added electronics and fleshed out the tracks with his production abilities (showcased in his other recording projects Arctic Hospital, Agend, and Talve). Eric sent back his developments and more instrumentation was added, including xylophone, vibraphone, horns, and orchestral drums. The songs were sent back in the mail to Eric, where he mixed down the tracks and gave them a cohesive sound.
One of the key factors when making the record was to avoid standard conventions in this sort of music, like playing acoustic guitar over a downsampled electronic drum beat, and instead make it more smooth, more layered and to stay away from digital cut up and trickery. Also influences by shoegaze acts such as Slowdive, or other groups like Labradford are noticeable in the tracks although their fresh and talented abilities makes it unable to distinguish whether it's rock or dance music which is giving the album originality and the comfort of analog warmth and digital coolness at the same time.
'Land Patterns' sits somewhere between the murky depths of seasonal depression, cabin fever, and the blooming first days of Spring. It has an intellectual quality to it, but maintains a child-like innocence in the way its melodies flutter and with the implementation of many pitched percussion instruments. Taking ideals from both darker and lighter sides of music, 'Land Patterns' is an album that fits somewhere in between; encapsulating the greater aspects of both sides into one singular vision.