Keith Canisius

Note (3/14): This article was updated to clear up a little confusion concerning CD availability and ordering.

I meant to post this last week, but you know how it goes when you’ve got a newborn who refuses to go to sleep until 5am. Anyways, Rumskib’s self-titled album was one of my fave albums of 2007 (read my review), with “Springtime” making it onto my 2007 mix.

The mastermind behind Rumskib, Keith Canisius, has just released his solo debut, Ferris Wheel Makeout. And if you’re a fan of Jonas Munk (who co-produced Ferris Wheel Makeout with Canisius), Ulrich Schnauss, or of course, Rumskib, than you owe it to yourself to at least check it out.

You can hear several tracks on Canisius’ MySpace page. And for my money, “Far From” is the clear standout, blending Canisius’ hazy, psychedelic soup of a sound with an 80’s vibe that wouldn’t be out of place on a Manual album (love those opening synths). Like Rumskib, there’s a certain youthful recklessness and sense of fun about Canisius’ music—while he sometimes gets a little out of control and over the top, he does so in such an earnest manner that it’s difficult not to smile at it… and then dive right in alongside him so you don’t feel left out of the party.

Ferris Wheel Makeout is now available from Darla Records, which interestingly enough, is making it their first digital release: you can download it from Amazon or eMusic.

If you’re one of those old-fashioned CD types, however, Darla’s got you covered: they’re releasing Ferris Wheel Makeout on little silvery discs through Japan’s Quince Records (which, by the way, looks to be quickly becoming the Japan-based shoegazer/indie-pop label to beat these days). Or, for the more domestic folks out there, you can also order the CD from Tonevendor.