Yusuf Azak – Turn On The Long Wire

Yusuf Azak’s debut full-length album, Turn On The Long Wire is probably what you’d describe as ‘busy’. There’s so much going on – layers and layers of hushed vocals, vibrant guitar lines and hordes of percussion, strings and other accompaniments – that it’s hard to know exactly where to focus your attention. However, all this clutter works to Azak’s advantage, serving as an engaging portrait of the man’s hyperactive musical vision.

There is some degree of subtlety at play here though – like the refrain of ‘Time To Kill’ for example, which is sure to gather comparisons to the likes of Elliott Smith, who is likely a frequent touchstone. What’s more, his voice is encased in a bizarre but not entirely undecipherable accent – to say he’s Aberdeen-raised and Glasgow-based might be enough to any one familiar with the local drawl – which also adds a peculiar twist to the whole sound, almost acting as an instrument itself.

Opening for Dinosaur Jr/Sebadoh’s Lou Barlow earlier this year, he seemed seriously amped up, like he’d nailed a pot of coffee before jumping onstage, battering into his nylon-stringed guitar with almost uncomfortable, fidgety speed. However, though that was a spectacle in its own right – and not necessarily a bad thing – with the added focus these tracks are given on record it becomes clearer to see that Azak is an incredibly talented guitar player and indeed, quite the musical all-rounder; which a few seconds of ‘Christabel Blues’ or ‘Eastern Sun”s intricate arrangements will surely testify.

Overall, the album is a positive leap forward from Azak’s more lo-fi early offerings, and manages to showcase his talent and eccentricities in full, vibrant colour. It might knock you off your stride at first but once you fall into his world, it’s hard to escape.