"Let Franzmann’s plaintive voice – a voice as unique as Nico’s or Joni Mitchell’s – guide you through the spare but effective arrangements on the album, which are something like Bill Callahan’s later work as Smog augmented by some baroque flourishes from Misery Is A Butterfly-era Blonde Redhead. Then, once you have soaked up the sheer minimalist beauty of songs such as Undertow or Thankful Tangle, you’ll understand exactly why this short, restrained album (it clocks in at just over half an hour, certainly not outstaying its welcome) is so exciting. If you’re yet to discover McKisko, there’s never been a better time." ****½ Rave Mag
"..her voice is so full of raw intensity that it packs a heart-rending punch. Even on the more uptempo songs there is a warped broodiness lurking just under the surface. This is a totally engaging and thoroughly exhilirating listen." **** Sydney Morning Herald
"...The sound of the album evokes thoughts of the mellower songs from Sufjan Stevens' Michigan and Seven Swans albums, or even Talk Talk's Laughing Stock - there's a stark pristine quality to these songs, where each instrument is placed just so in the spectrum of sounds." Before Hollywood
"Helen Franzmann has a tremendous voice, but it’s her musicality (she plays pretty much everything within her capabilities on this album) that really makes it a delight to listen to...I fall short of calling this a ‘classic’ because those observations are usually better made with the benefit of hindsight, but it comes pretty damn close." Fasterlouder
"The songs wander through minimalist soundscapes, lullabies and haunting indie-folk, all the while quietly pulling the listener into their world... the air between the notes seems to scream louder than the instruments themselves." The Vine
"McKisko can just as easily lift your spirits as she can shatter your heart, but that bitter tingling feeling you experience by the end is as stupefying as it is necessary." Four Thousand
"Beautiful stuff." **** Time Off
"...you imagine this album was recorded in the red velvet draped room with the dwarf in the Twin Peaks dream sequences" Jmag
"..gorgeous, minimalist tunes with fiery blood... there is a folk-ish temper to her music, but McKisko is more glorious and wilful than the word allows. Amazing." Beat
"..it feels like your sitting alone with a lingering ghostly presence." Drum Media
"Glorio feels like the memory of distant childhood scars and cold Berlin winters. With her understanding of the weight of a measured delivery, it's no wonder this lass was chosen to support Bon Iver." Yen Magazine
"This is a beautiful Album! (No beating round the bush here) Picture yourself slowly floating down a river in a shallow wooden boat. The moon is high in the sky, the night is warm but the air is cool. Wow!
Now picture it's Tuesday morning 11am. You’re feeling the ill effects from a rather over indulgent weekend. Take ten minutes out, put on your headphones and press play on Glorio. Hey presto, you’re back floating on that river with not a care in the world. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" Aircharts 2009
Brisbane outfit Toy Balloon will release their debut album Toy Division on
November 8 through Lofly Records, and to celebrate will perform an east coast
launch tour throughout November.
Formed in 2007, Toy Balloon was
originally a fledgling two-piece made up by Nimai Etheridge’s uniquely melodic
wall-of-sound guitar and Greg Cooper’s beautiful sequenced electronic
compositions. The band have since matured into a four piece featuring Chloe
Cooper (Mr Maps) on key boards and Ben Green on drums.
The album was
recorded and mixed at the Lofly Hangar in Brisbane, a DIY performance space that
Toy Balloon has been an integral part of creating. Fostering emerging artists
and left-of-centre music, the Hangar acts as a performance space, recording
studio, and meeting place; and has resulted in a record with a rich, layered
sound reminiscent of New Order, Mogwai, Boards of Canada, and LCD
Soundsystem.
Catch Toy Balloon launch Toy Division at a venue near you
this Oct/ November.
TOY BALLOON TOUR DATES:
Brisbane- Thursday 29
October- The Zoo, Fortitude Valley w/ Moon Jog, Tin Can Radio and Doom
Doom.
Sydney- Wednesday 4 November- ‘Upstarts’ at Spectrum, Darlinghurst
w/ Convaire and Black Bear Brown Bear
Sydney- Thursday 5 November- Oxford
Arts Factory, Darlinghurst w/ World Champion and others
Melbourne-
Saturday 7 November- Pony, Melbourne w/ Love Connection and
Aoi
Melbourne- Sunday 8 November- El Joyero, Melbourne
Toy
Division is released November 6 on Lofly Records, with distribution through MGM.
