Little Shalimar

Many music artists attempt to lay claim to the idea that they cannot be confined to a sound, opting instead to label themselves eclectic or “genre-bending” – one of the lazier descriptors to explain an artist that has ever been erected. In Little Shalimar’s case, however, the term holds actual weight as each song packs as many layers as possible which gives the project a full sound even though it is mostly a one man show.

That singular presence behind the sound of Little Shalimar is Torbitt Schwartz, a Lebanese-Jewish man who has split time between Flatbush, Brooklyn and Louisville, Kentucky. Fans of Definitive Jux band Chin Chin may remember Schwartz as a member of that collective. As Little Shalimar, Schwartz carries the load of producer and band on his debut project The Pneumonia Blues EP – which has an amazing story attached to it. According to Little Shalimar’s Bandcamp page, Schwartz traveled to Los Angeles to work on music with TV On The Radio guitarist and producer Dave Sitek. Coming down with a nasty case of pneumonia, Schwartz was confined to his bed while consequently drugged up on codeine syrup and “space cake” – under this influence and bed-ridden, Schwartz formed the foundation of his EP.

The EP begins with “Lady,” a bluesy and funky track in which Schwartz pleads to a woman in earnest with his capable vocals. Impressive guitar riffs and the steadiness of the groove help to propel the track’s enjoyment. “Bad Position” is another impressive showing from Schwartz that finds him taking cues from early 80s pop before morphing the track into a bongo-propelled party all in the manner of minutes. With a tiny effect on his vocals and a kazoo of all things on the back end of the fun hook, Little Shalimar establishes its sound early on in the EP. “Winds Of Wackness” is a slower, guitar-driven romp where Schwartz’s vocals are the prominent portion of the track. While it doesn’t grab like the songs preceding it, it does show the range of Schwartz’s vocals. To be fair, the hook will hold the listeners’ attention as the song builds.

Schwartz, a former El-P collaborator, shows off his hip-hop roots on “Beat Bash,” a noisy and scattered track that feels schizophrenic and induces a feeling of claustrophobia all at once; this is a good thing. Jumping ahead to the last track of the album, with all respect to the equally interesting songs before it, “New Pneumonia Blues” is a sparse track with Schwartz opting for a minimalist sound driven by hushed drums and subdued vocal hums. The chant “sick like pneumonia” are the only vocals to the short track but as with the energetic songs before it, the slow ending is fitting for such a fun ride of an EP. Little Shalimar can count himself as one of the more interesting artists of 2011. Hopefully he can find a less debilitating illness in order to inspire and craft his next masterpiece.

-D.L. Chandler