Tom Krell calls his murky, lo-fi recording project “How to Dress Well.” So obviously when I saw that the cover art for his new Ready for the World seven inch featured a naked woman, I couldn’t help but laugh a bit. But maybe that’s the point. “Ready For the World” is not dressed well or gussied up; in fact, it’s unassuming and minimal in the best way possible, demanding your attention without you even knowing how. Some characterize How to Dress Well’s sound as “lo-fi R&B”; I suppose that’s a fair assessment, but it feels as if music like this should be described in simpler terms. “Ready For the World” is bare and spacious — just like the woman on the cover and the woods she’s standing in.
How to Dress Well, “Ready For the World” (Ready For the World 7″, Lefse Records)
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