Noah’s Arkweld – Names for Shapes That Don’t Exist

Pick up any album out of Toronto’s indie scene over the last decade and you’ll likely find Noah Mintz’s name buried in the credits. Mintz has spent a decade building a reputation as one of Canada’s top mastering engineers, working with acts like Broken Social Scene, Stars, and Apostle of Hustle. With Names for Shapes That Don’t Exist, Mintz is finally stepping out from behind the mixing board to craft something of his own. The album sits in an uncharted middle ground, somewhere between alt-country, folk, and minimalist indie pop. Biting acoustic guitar is frequently matched with swirling synths and layered over sparse bits of cello. That is not to say that this is a schizophrenic or directionless album by any means, and even with all of these elements plucked from different genres working at once the songs never manage to come across as overwrought or cluttered. Instead, Mintz manages to expertly weave them in and out of tracks without overemphasis. The subdued “Square Peg” is a gentle solo-acoustic affair up until the song’s power-pop infused final moments, and “Small Fires” features tribal bongos and maracas driving the track atop slowly burning guitars. The lyrics may evoke the odd eye-roll and some numbers may occasionally feel a bit too twangy for some, but inventive melodies and some strong vocal work make it easy to ignore any glaring flaws. All of this exists within the album’s relatively small scope, which feels close and intimate despite the large range of sounds. Mintz manages to stay above indulging himself too much in any one genre, and it certainly pays off. His work sounds all the better for it. (Independent, www.noahsarkweld.com) Kevan Hannah