Adjective Animal - maia

Adjective Animal

Maia
self-released; 2013

3.7 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

Adjective Animal is a band from Salford, Manchester in England that might work quicker than any other band I remember. Conrad Ankers (lead vocals, guitar), Matt Davies (lead guitar), Harrison Cunliffe (drums, percussion) and Alex Johnson (keyboard, sound) starting playing together in 2013 and released a six-song EP entitled This Modern Feeling in June 2013 and quickly followed up with an eight-song EP called Maia which we are reviewing today.

Maia was recorded DIY style in a basement and it sounds decent considering that Adjective Animal did everything themselves. Although I do have to say that the record might benefit from having a professional engineer master the album. Despite this Maia is an interesting – mostly instrumental – post-rock album that combines freebase jazz to make for some engaging songs.

The album opens with “Leo Rises,” which starts with a reverse sounding effect that fades into a jazzy drum beat and a clean guitar progression that floats in the clouds. As the song progresses the band’s post-rock tendencies come out at around the 4:00 minute mark. They trade in the atmospheric ambience for distorted guitars and crashing cymbals. The sprawling 11-plus-minute song “Setting Fire to the Moon” is where things start to get interesting. It’s here where they start to blend genres and get into more original territory. There are clearly elements of free jazz in the song as it feels as if the band is improvising but there are also some typical post-rock staples that you notice. As the band plays around a couple of riffs the ebb and flow seems natural as they feed off each other’s energies. Sections intensify and devolve according to the feeling of the song and are in no rush to go anywhere.

“The Nature of Your Character” is the first time we hear vocals from Ankers who has a deep voice and a unique way of singing. Sometimes he is kind of talking than switches to singing a bit. It is a different style, which works more than half the time. One of the highlights on the album is the last track “Please Remember.” The song has a catchy vocal melody and some of the most powerful riffs on the album.

For being around for less than a year and producing so much material you can't but be impressed. The songs on Maia are well thought out, and worth your time getting to know. 

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