April of June is a one-man band project that is led by an artist who only goes by the initials P.E. His latest album is called Across the Sea, which is the first out of four albums he is planning to make. What makes this project unique is that P.E. set out to utilize real-life instruments in his production (he didn’t want to include any MIDI in his compositions). I think his goal was to make the sound as natural sounding as possible and it worked. Across the recording which included five parts, the sound came together as a cohesive whole. What P.E. set out to do was to try and make these parts sound like chapters of a story and not like separate pieces of music. I believe he was successful as the delivery of this album went by smoothly and worked as a whole. A great alternative and post-rock vibe erupt from these tracks.
Across the Sea opens up with “Across the Sea Pt. 1,” where some noodling on the electric guitar reels listeners in with its pensive vibe. I loved the sprawling approach that the artist elicits here. Next, the sound of stirring strings arrives for a compelling sound. The vibe was very smooth and relaxing. Next, the music grows more adamant with the addition of drums and percussion. P.E.’s vocals arrive. He belts out the lyrics with a slight European accent. I think he delivers with tons of feeling. This was a moody track with a powerful punch. The soft and loud dynamic really works well here. The sound of strings and percussion fill the sound on “Across the Sea Part 2.” The vibe was very welcoming. I loved the addition of orchestral elements here. Next, the music opens up for a folksier and acoustic undertaking. P.E. sings with feeling. At moments, I was reminded of The Beatles. I thought this was an upbeat song with a great vibe. On “Across the Sea Part 3,” a full-on vibe comes through. I was getting indie rock with a touch of punk rock in the mixture. I loved the energy of this anthem. Once P.E.’s enthused vocals come in, it clinches this. On “Across the Sea Part 4,” a monotone bass line comes through. Next, some reverberating guitar riffs settle in. The vibe was somber. I thought it almost had a heavy metal, hard rock sound to it. It definitely showed a different side to his overall music-making. “Across the Sea Part 5” is a straight up change of pace from the previous tracks. Starting off mellow, I was enjoying the warm vibes of the acoustics. I thought this was a great way for the artist to send us off. The narrative of Across the Sea was from a specific time of the artist’s life. Though coming from a personal place, he hopes that listeners can discover their own unique interpretation from the music itself. Peppered throughout the recording are a few lyrics here and there that went on to help shape the overall music. P.E. has made something here that is packed full of nuances and shades of color, which I think is very wonderful. If you’re looking for something flavorful and creative, then look no further. I look forward to a follow-up from the artist also.
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