''Geidi Primes'' is the first studio album by Canadian musician

Grimes Claire Elise Boucher (; born March 17, 1988), known professionally as Grimes, is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Her early work has been described as extending from "lo-fi R&B" to futuristic dance-pop, and has in ...

. It was released through

Arbutus Records Arbutus Records is a Montreal based record label and Artist Management, management company founded by Sebastian Cowan in 2009. The label is named after the street by the same name in Vancouver, where Cowan grew up. The label have also begun expand ...

on January 10, 2010. In 2011, the album was released in the United Kingdom through No Pain in Pop Records on CD and LP, containing a slightly different cover art. ''Geidi Primes'' is a concept album based on

Frank Herbert Franklin Patrick Herbert Jr. (October 8, 1920February 11, 1986) was an American science fiction author best known for the 1965 novel '' Dune'' and its five sequels. Though he became famous for his novels, he also wrote short stories and worked a ...

's novel ''

Dune A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, f ...

'' and

David Lynch David Keith Lynch (born January 20, 1946) is an American filmmaker, visual artist and actor. A recipient of an Academy Honorary Award in 2019, Lynch has received three Academy Award nominations for Best Director, and the César Award for Be ...

's 1984 film adaptation of the book.

Background

The album's title refers to the fictional planet

Giedi Prime ''Dune'' is a 1965 Epic (genre), epic science fiction novel by American author Frank Herbert, originally published as two separate serials in ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Analog'' magazine. It tied with Roger Zelazny's ''This Immortal'' f ...

, from the ''

'' novels by

, originating with the 1965 novel ''

'', Grimes' favourite book. "Caladan", the first track, refers to another fictional planet. The next, "Sardaukar Levenbrech", refers to the

military rank Military ranks are a system of hierarchical relationships, within armed forces, police, intelligence agencies or other institutions organized along military lines. The military rank system defines dominance, authority, and responsibility in a ...

of Levenbrech — roughly in between a

sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...

and a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

— in the

Sardaukar Multiple organizations of the ''Dune'' universe dominate the political, religious, and social arena of the setting of Frank Herbert's ''Dune'' series of science fiction novels, and derivative works. Set tens of thousands of years in the future, ...

army. A

Face Dancer The Bene Tleilax, also called Tleilaxu , are an extremely xenophobic and isolationist society in Frank Herbert's science fiction ''Dune'' universe. Genetic manipulators who traffic in biological products such as artificial eyes, gholas, and "t ...

, as used in track three's title "Zoal, Face Dancer", is a type of human in the series who can

shapeshift In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, sorcery, spells or having inherited the ...

. Track six, "Feyd Rautha Dark Heart", refers to

Feyd-Rautha Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen is a fictional character in the 1965 science fiction novel ''Dune'' by Frank Herbert. He is the younger nephew and heir of the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, and is depicted to be as cruel, treacherous and cunning as his uncle. ...

Harkonnen, antagonist of the first novel in the ''Dune'' series. "Shadout Mapes", the 10th track, refers to a minor character. Track 11, "Beast Infection", refers to the "Beast" the nickname of the character Rabban. Grimes did not expect that the album would be successful and so assumed that no one would ever hear it. She quotes this as being behind her reasoning for the album title and track names, though has since mentioned that the "decision has kind of haunted me". She has also stated that she now feels that the album was "naïve".

Composition

''Geidi Primes'' has been described as a

dream pop Dream pop (also typeset as dreampop) is a subgenre of alternative rock and neo-psychedelia that emphasizes atmosphere and sonic texture as much as pop melody. Common characteristics include breathy vocals, dense productions, and effects such as ...

experimental pop Experimental pop is pop music that cannot be categorized within traditional musical boundaries or which attempts to push elements of existing popular forms into new areas. It may incorporate experimental techniques such as musique concrète, al ...

psychedelia Psychedelia refers to the psychedelic subculture of the 1960s and the psychedelic experience. This includes psychedelic art, psychedelic music and style of dress during that era. This was primarily generated by people who used psychedelic ...

electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that started in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mostly used to r ...

lo-fi Lo-fi (also typeset as lofi or low-fi; short for low fidelity) is a music or production quality in which elements usually regarded as imperfections in the context of a recording or performance are present, sometimes as a deliberate choice. The ...

bedroom pop Lo-fi (also typeset as lofi or low-fi; short for low fidelity) is a music or production quality in which elements usually regarded as imperfections in the context of a recording or performance are present, sometimes as a deliberate choice. The ...

folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Folk Plus or Fol ...

drum and bass Drum and bass (also written as drum & bass or drum'n'bass and commonly abbreviated as D&B, DnB, or D'n'B) is a genre of electronic dance music characterized by fast breakbeats (typically 165–185 beats per minute) with heavy bass and sub-ba ...

, and classical album. Thomas A Ward of ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' described the album as "a perfect blend of oriental pop,

chillwave Chillwave (originally considered synonymous with glo-fi and hypnagogic pop) is a music microgenre that emerged in the late 2000s. It loosely emulates 1980s electropop while engaging with notions of memory and nostalgia. Common features inclu ...

and

post-rock Post-rock is a form of experimental rock characterized by a focus on exploring textures and timbre over traditional rock song structures, chords, or riffs. Post-rock artists are often instrumental, typically combining rock instrumentation with ...

Critical reception

''Geidi Primes'' received positive reviews from music critics. ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...

''s Lindsay Zoladz noted the album has an "eccentric, dreamy sound, which draws upon everything from

dubstep Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in South London in the early 2000s. The style emerged as a UK garage offshoot that blended 2-step rhythms and sparse dub production, as well as incorporating elements of broken be ...

disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...

Eastern music Asian music encompasses numerous musical styles originating in many Asian countries. Musical traditions in Asia * Music of Central Asia ** Music of Afghanistan (when included in the definition of Central Asia) ** Music of Kazakhstan ** Music o ...

to 1990s R&B", adding, "Despite its modest production values and relative simplicity, it's a cohesive, enchanting, and surprisingly assured debut." Zoladz goes on to opine that "perhaps ''Geidi Primes''’s greatest virtue is its resourcefulness", stating that it "excels at crafting evocative moods from deceivingly simple sonic materials and song structures". Of Grimes as a vocalist, Zoladz found that she can "work her range", from her "impressive

falsetto ''Falsetto'' (, ; Italian diminutive of , "false") is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous ed ...

" to a "spooky low tone" and her "tuneful

deadpan Deadpan, dry humour, or dry-wit humour is the deliberate display of emotional neutrality or no emotion, commonly as a form of comedic delivery to contrast with the ridiculousness or absurdity of the subject matter. The delivery is meant to be blun ...

" mid-range. In conclusion, Zoladz stated that "''Geidi Primes'' shows that even her earliest recordings displayed a distinct point of view and an oddly mesmerizing quality ..a dreamy soundscape that invites an escape from the glitchy universe, a brief provocation to let go and just bliss out." Siobhán Kane of ''

Consequence Consequence may refer to: * Logical consequence, also known as a ''consequence relation'', or ''entailment'' * In operant conditioning, a result of some behavior * Consequentialism, a theory in philosophy in which the morality of an act is determi ...

'' described "Caladan" as "almost tribal in conceit"; praised "Rosa" for its "sweet, soft voice coos, soaring around

staccato Staccato (; Italian for "detached") is a form of musical articulation. In modern notation, it signifies a note of shortened duration, separated from the note that may follow by silence. It has been described by theorists and has appeared in music ...

-like percussion"; stated "Venus in Fleurs" brings to mind "a darkly lit

underworld The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underworld. ...

that sounds like someone breathing ice". Kane continued, "There is something so unusual about this record, an artifact that sounds as if it is being transmitted from space, as if it were coming from a more creative place than could be found on earth". Thomas A Ward of the ''

'' viewed the album as "an instantly accessible and intimate listen", commending Grimes for her "

chameleon Chameleons or chamaeleons (family Chamaeleonidae) are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 202 species described as of June 2015. The members of this family are best known for their distinct range of colors, bein ...

ic approach" to the genres of the record.

Track listing

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Geidi Primes''. * Grimes – vocals, production, artwork * Erik Zuuring – design, layout * Sebastian Cowan – mastering

Release history

References

External links

''Geidi Primes''
at

{{Authority control 2010 albums Grimes albums Music based on Dune (franchise) Science fiction concept albums Arbutus Records albums Lo-fi music albums Bedroom pop albums Psychedelic music albums by Canadian artists