As a new listener to Deerhunter, I was introduced to the band's music just three weeks ago through their most recent release "Halcyon Digest". Well... "Cryptograms" is nothing like "Halcyon Digest". While the latter features mostly songs that are more structured in rock and pop elements (and beautifully so), "Cryptograms" is dream music. The way the album is constructed, it is like waking up from a dream and watching the sun rise.
There are quiet, meditative passages which echo Robert Fripp and Brian Eno in places, using electronic sounds in combination with guitars, bass and drums in a way that induces emotion and contemplation. There are some numbers that are more up-tempo and which resemble Joy Division in regard to the drumming and bass playing. Then there are songs with traditional guitars/bass/drums/vocals arrangements that resemble lo-fi dream pop.
It might be hard for the uninitiated listener to take all of this CD this in at once because of the way it jumps around a bit stylistically, but if by the time you first hear "Cryptograms" you have already decided this band can do little wrong, you will love this CD. Even if you don't know what to expect, it is full of beautiful surprises.
The reproduction of the video game music keeps all sense of nostalgia and adds a massive amount of quality and artistry to the music. Blake is a master.
I've listened to all 3 volumes of this collection on youtube repeatedly because until recently the only way to get this music is through iTunes (UNTIL NOW). FLAC VERSION IS HERE GUYS!