Hot Spoon, Cold Mango releases new album

A hot day in Washington DC, no air con and a taste for mango sorbet was the setting that would lead to the moniker of an innovative sonic project shrouded in mystery and intrigue. When a hot spoon was plucked freshly cleaned from a dish washer to be used for the mango sorbet, the meeting of these two objects provided inspiration in the form of Hot Spoon, Cold Mango.

This quirky artistic banner fittingly serves the enigmatic nature of its mastermind and coincidentally, HSCM is also his initials and the initials of his partner. Growing up in The Netherlands, a significant moment occurred when his parents acquired a stunning Ibach piano and the budding young would-be musician started lessons on the instrument.

Fast forward to 2020 and Hot Spoon, Cold Mango was unveiled to the world with the debut record titled Je ne parle pas français, followed by the sophomore and third albums the next year. Now the artist returns with a new release, the brand new fourth LP titled Paws on Ears, an eighteen track outing that captures the latest chapter in the fascinating journey of Hot Spoon, Cold Mango.

Opened by “A Beckoning Plea Of A Call For Bears,” the barely audible cymbal taps usher in sparse piano plinks before the Brian Eno-esque low-end rumble of the bass note is joined by the gentle drum beat. Crafting a mesmeric instrumental experience, the song softly swells with intricate synth flutters as warm brass tones echo before the energy picks with with the lively patter of shuffling drums.

“Amongst The Roots Of Trees” spins a soothing ambience of playful piano tumbles over the buzz of lo-fi synth tones, elegantly rising with percussive taps and enchanting melodies. “A Cows Stands Guard Protecting Their Llamas,” a title as curious as its composition, offers an evolving sonic journey that ventures from the spacey textures of silky piano chords and sliding string lines before the stuttered drum beat enters, pounding and shuffling below as the full arrangement takes flight with lofty brass leads and airy synth tones.

Other highlights on the record include songs like “Flower Picking Pink Elepppppphants” with its colder tone of crisp bass lines over a minimal beat with hints of glitch as rapid piano notes quietly dance away, resulting in a hypnotic and uplifting sound. Building to an enveloping sound of vibrant synth textures, anchored by the staccato lines of string style instrumentation and the rumbles of thumping kick drums, it floats back down to a whimsical, lullaby-esque soundscape for its final moments.

“Fox Betrothed The Cat,” forms an ethereal sound of tender synth swells that hover in a stretching sea of reverb that swirls around the strikes of piano notes. It’s a truly dazzling instrumental piece that slowly lulls with mellow percussive shots and glistening brass tones.

The album closes with “Zoologist Leave For The Evening” with its modern jazz stylings of delicate piano chords, double-bass plucks, layers of brass and saxophone over the leisurely shake of percussion, crafting a heartwarming finale to an astonishingly original and highly enjoyable new record from an artist who refuses to be boxed into any one style or genre.

Listen to Paws on Ears below