Rabbitsss is a new project of Rae Howell (perhaps better known for her work in Sunwrae) and Jon Cohrs. The duo has a debut album coming out in May, entitled Penguins (I can’t make this stuff up, see the PR sheet below the cut).

Although no tracks have been made public at this time, you’ll have to take my word for it that Penguins does not disappoint.

Classically-trained Australian composer Rae Howell and visual artist Jon Cohrs generate a sonic landscape evoking musical traditions, while grounded in electronics. Cohrs’ background can be heard in the smattering of samples but also in the hidden shuffling of feet, a squeak of a chair, the intentional human presence within the recordings, while Howell’s modulating compositions and musicianship create a driving sense melody. The results of Howell’s talents on marimba, vibraphone and keys, and Cohrs’ electronic manipulations – both rhythmic and non sequitur – are captured on record with an ear toward the serendipitous moments of performance.

While the album’s 12 tracks flow effortlessly into and out of one another without a word, Penguins takes on many personas. These numbers evoke any number of locales, situations and perspectives: the windy afternoon of “On the Roof” and “Rooftop II”; the slow building rhythm on“Haus Mic”; the post-modern wedding dance of the title track. Throughout Penguins, Howell’s lush orchestrations dance eloquently through Cohrs’ disarming electronics, resulting in a multi-dimensional work that combines digital production with the organic sounds of musicians performing in a room. Rabbitsss’ music transcends easy categorization and presents a compelling fusing of old and new worlds that is methodical in its application, yet decidedly musical at its core.