Peter Ormerod is an artist I’ve been listening to for a long time but never heard a single word before his release A Portrait of Someone EP. That’s because he’s never sung before to my knowledge. This was a different experience from his other albums.
The first song is entitled “A Portrait of Someone.” It revolves around what sounds like electric reverb, vocals and tons of reverb. I actually had a very hard time making out any of the lyrics because of how much reverb is on the track. Nonetheless it adds to a very haunting feeling and without it I think the track would have felt completely different. “Did you hear the one about the Englishman?” is next and is just as haunting if not more. There is a meditative piano on the song. The vocals are even harder to make out on this track which also seem to run through a filter and are still covered in reverb which create a phase effect. There’s not too much in terms of dynamic change but it was still a cool track. I loved the overall mood. “Cacophony Of Voices” and the vocals on the song are are way off in the background and sound as if the low end has been completely removed with High Pass Filter. The music is still very haunting and excels because of the sparse production. Next up is “The Birth of the Clinic'' and it was definitely my personal favorite song. The piano melody is cerebral and pensive. He’s sort of talking in spoken word style on this song which worked really well. As an engineer myself I have a couple suggestions for the vocals. In my opinion there’s too much reverb on the vocals. I would dial this back considerably and cut some frequencies from the reverb tail itself specifically on the lower mids because I wanted to hear what he was saying. There’s also tools like compression I would use in this case to make them feel more upfront in the mix. This was definitely a unique turn for the artist and one I enjoyed quite a bit. I applaud Ormerod for getting out of his comfort zone and attempting new aesthetics. I thought this was a solid start and I look forward to hearing what his next move is.
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Korfian is back with a new release entitled Legacy. The release contains seven songs but only comes in at seventeen minutes. That being said it still felt substantial and powerful because there’s no additional fat on these songs.
The album starts with “Void” and is a spoken word piece. There’s some atmosphere and this sort of spiritual text to it revolving around consciousness. It felt like an appropriate introduction considering the vibe of the rest of the songs. The title track “Legacy” is thematic but also drives. There’s a lot to the music including arpeggiated synths, bells, drums and much more. The vocals are sincere, heartfelt and also quite powerful. “Growling Thunder” is a late night thumper. There’s a gothic quailty that’s mystical and mysterious. I thought the delay effect was used quite well on the vocals. “Annuncio” is a sort of transitional piece with field recordings which leads to a highlight “White Smoke.” “White Smoke” is full on cinematic and sounds similar to The Knife or Bjork. The pads surround you and there’s an ominous quality to the song. "No Limit" is a bit of a slow burn and sounded like a good build to the closer. The album ends where it started with “Sow” which is again poetic and cosmic spoken word. The thing that I thought was great about this release is that it was made for one sitting. It feels seamless from beginning to end with the spoken word and even the transitions adding to the whole. The term “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” comes to mind. Take a listen.
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I first heard of Sam Oxford back in 2019 when we reviewed his self-titled release Sam Oxford. The artist is back with Sustain to Floor. Oxford explains: “The album was my way of exorcising my fear of becoming a stagnant person, through telling stories of characters who stagnate. About half of these characters fear making change, and another half of them are traumatized, and are stuck reliving horrible events. My biggest inspirations were Gothic fiction, horror movies, surrealist work and magic realism.” Those are fears I definitely didn’t have when I was around Oxford’s age about twenty-years ago but times changes, society changes and we are living in a different world now.
The music here is a mix of rock, experimental and even a little folk. Up first is “A Bridge to Nowhere” and it is a sort of nice indie rock style jam that sounds a bit like early Flaming Lips. It felt like more of an intro because of the short runtime and no vocals. We get into some of the meat with “The Scorpions’ Dance” and there’s a mix of clean guitar and another that’s providing some atmosphere. The song builds with a crescendo where drums come in and a pretty cool groove emerges. I thought the vocals were low in the mix but the music itself was rocking and fun. “Room 411” is introspective and has a serious and dramatic tone. The vocals almost felt like I was watching a play at points. I thought the harmonies sounded good and I loved the trickling piano. “Lou and Jay” is a highlight. It’s one of the more accessible songs and fairly straightforward but just well delivered with some of the best hooks. “r/LumberJack” is a solid song although the vocals sometimes get a little off key. “Bitter Springnight’s Air” is another good song and some great guitar action, drums and bass. I loved the grooves on this song and it is also one of the best vocal performances. “Tides Pools” is a very experimental track with ambient and post-rock vibes. I loved this and I hope to hear more of this style. Last up is “Headed for the Sky (Lou and Jay pt2)” which contains some of the best drum work. As an engineer myself I thought the mixing was solid for a home recording. I did notice the bass drum was a little muddy and cutting some frequencies around 250hz and 350hz would have helped with creating more space on the low-end. Overall, this is the best thing I’ve heard from Oxford. The artist is still very young and I hope it hear more soon.
The Kindest People is back with another stellar release, this time with an intergalactic, sci-fi- tint to it. Director’s Cut is an origin story for the anxious voice inside your head, but paired with the upbeat energy this band infuses into each track, the band avoids the sinister despite its subject matter, choosing instead to walk the line between silly and poignant in this album.
Matthew Sykes and Spencer Otey are joined by Evan Rice, Matthew Dougherty and occasionally Austin Herron on this twelve-track release that weaves together the tale of a fictional filmmaker and his journey to uncover the source of the inner voice of anxiety that has become so common to humanity, the implication being that someone, or something has put it in our minds. The band, which hails from the mountain town of Johnson City, Tennessee, has been recording in different iterations since 2016 with six releases under its belt. Far from being gimmicky or overdone, the conceptual backstory behind this album and Syke’s songwriting is subtle enough that the release has a standalone energetic enjoyability. Knowing the sci-fi inspiration however enhances the experience of the album, creating a treasure hunt for the listener to pick up on lyrical cues and a narrative thread that has the makings of a sonic-cinematic experience. This also explains the album cover, which features the members of the band posing in what appears to be mid-production moment: Sykes stands closest to the camera, wearing dark glasses and holding a film clapperboard, while Otey and Dougherty, dressed in secret-agent-style suits, restrain Rice, who wears a futuristic mono-sunglass. The Kindest People’s sound is a classic indie garage rock, and the band stays true to this genre in a literal sense as the album was recorded and mixed at The Ranch, a home garage turned into a practice space. Director’s Cut maintains The Kindest People’s DIY ethos, though the production quality of their music is remarkably high for a group of people playing out of a garage. Tracks such as “Bad Thoughts,” contain powerful alt-rock guitar riffs that groove into a cascade of fluid synchronization, a full sound complete with all the key components of indie rock, including electric guitar (Sykes/Otey), bass (Rice) and drums (Dougherty). Another track later in the album, “Twenty-Five,” ups the tempo even more, delivering a punchy sound that has a tinge of early-aughts alt-power-pop to it, giving the track a slight punk edge, though there is nothing jagged in the tight instrumentation of the band. Sykes’ vocals are confident and appealing, suffused with an easy, laid-back groove, apparent in tracks such as “Director’s Cut,” in which he sings, “Lay your head on down / cause I’m gonna start talking with a brand new sound,” announcing himself as the embodiment of a thematic inner voice. Although the lyrics of the chorus are menacing, hearing Sykes sing, “you’re always alone / always alone / but I won’t leave you alone / even if you’re alone,” feels reassuring to the listener -- if the voice inside your head sounds this good, maybe there’s no need to be anxious after all.
In the Shadow of the Seven Stars by Swallows is a concept album about Jack the Ripper. The music is very varied from rock to classical. Perhaps more importantly are the vocals. The vocalist has a classic baritone that sounds between Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen.
“The Boneyard” is the opening music and you are greeted with warm classical strings. It’s very melancholy and the affectation of the vocalist tries to match the emotions. I felt it was on the line of being comical and hope they take that as a compliment. The background angelic harmonies were great. I was not expecting “Wrecking Ball” which sounds like a southern rock band at points. The song however is really great especially the verse which is playful but dark. I loved it. “In the Shadow of the Seven Stars'' was a highlight. It was a feeling like you are stranded in the desert. I thought the spaghetti western guitar was perfect and matched the deep baritone of the vocalist. “Ultraviolet” is one of the more epic sounding songs while “Dead and Gone” goes more on southern rock mode. The next highlight was “Bring Your Dead Back Home” which sounded like The National. The silence and space is perfect and the vocals harmonies are the best on the album. I also thought “Gravediggers'' was fantastic which featured some banjo and a more country type of quality. They close strong with “Round About Me” was another stripped back song. This album felt like at least two different bands. Their rock side was solid but the more lush and melancholy ballads like “Bring Your Dead Back Home” and “Round About Me.” were their strengths. The latter felt stronger to me and often on the border of religious. Overall, I thought this was a very good album with an interesting concept. I was a big fan of the vocalist and the more subtle moments. Recommended.
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Split Persona is a band that just released their self-titled EP Split Persona. They are a young band barely out of high school but are off to a solid start. Their music is straightforward melding elements of rock and metal.
The band got going with “Stay Away” which is a heavy song consisting of distorted guitars, driving drums, steady bass and vocals. I noticed right away that the vocalist sounds young. There are simply characteristics to his voice that reminded me of a teenager. It works fine for the music but the vocals weren’t what I was expecting considering the intensity of the music. The next song is entitled “All Us Three” and is similar to the first and rocks pretty hard. There’s a ’90s vibe here which I very much remember living through. Can you say alternative rock? They get their most subdued on “Melted Clocks'' which is one of the more single worthy songs with a catchy hook. The next couple of songs “Keep It” and “Strawberries” were solid songs as well. In the mid ’90s I was around the same age as this band is now and I was making similar music back then. Do I have to go into why ’90s inspired music is arguably the best decade of music. This band is doing all the right things and although they haven’t found a signature sound at this point, they demonstrate some solid talent in terms of delivery and songwriting. My advice to this band would be to think about ways they can differentiate themselves from the crowd. Don’t get me wrong there are some quality songs here but the next step would be to focus on how to create an X-factor for their music that when you hear it you might recognize it’s them. Overall, this is a solid EP and I wish them luck as they continue to evolve.
Every week we mention a couple of artists that are worth your time to check out that were not featured in our weekly reviews.
Artist Album Rating Westerly Station Westerly Station 3.7 Slippery People Fandango 3.8 Mt. Umbra Not Great 3.6 patty cheesebun patty cheesebun 3.8 Clone Run Find Your Paradise 3.6
Biome is the solo project of Greg Kyryluk, who is best known for his electronic ambient music under the alias "Alpha Wave Movement.” Biome constructs sonically organic nature-inspired ambient electronic music encompassing a centre of complex rhythms and meditative distinctions, resulting in an extraordinary listening experience. Think Brian Eno or Steve Roach, but with even more contexture!
Recorded in Massachusetts, Essence is Biome's second record after 2018's Shores of Temenos. The album starts off with the track "Occulus" which helps set the relaxed mood as Biome takes you on a journey akin to floating on a cloud in the depths of outer space, the very definition of "space music.” The 13-minute long track evolves stunningly as it progresses with its trippy ambient dominance. "Naturale Waves" has a cryptic quality to it with its electronic string section empowering sparkling streak to come and go throughout (a common theme of the album), blended with the nature shaped soundscape. "Walk Among The Crystal Tides" maintains the natural ethos, with the sound of light crashing waves working perfectly against the synthetic textures and rhythmic oscillations. Essence closes with the song "Shangri-la Nexus” which like its preceding tracks has a heavy usage of bell-like sounds, excellent electronic string work, captivating natural atmospheric sounds and subtle sequences, which hypnotize the listener. But the addition of vocal pads gives the album a fitting climactic quality, as the natural soundscape that engrosses the album appropriately closes Essence. With Essence, Kyryluk sticks to what he knows best, mood-centered, intense texture, downtempo ambient electronic music, combined with the heavy influence of natural space. Each track on the album is thoughtfully constructed and, as a result, is an exquisite, cohesive ambient hour-long experience fills your ears and mind. Greg Kyryluk has already established himself as an essential artist in electronic ambient music, but with Essence, he takes his artistry to a new level and pushes new, daring boundaries.
Dan Cody is a veteran musician who has been playing and recording music for decades. His latest is entitled Long Distance Line. Cody mentions: “The EP started out to be a 10 to 12 song album and over a period of time many songs were recorded. Some were really good and some just weren't coming together.”
The EP starts with “Long Distance” which gets going out of the gate with the full band. This song to me felt like a mix between Americana, rock and a splash of pop. The song is very accessible with warm qualities and a hook that’s memorable right off the bat. The second song “All Right” contains some piano, driving drums, guitar and a steady bass. It’s a very hopeful and motivational sounding tune. When Cody sings “Well, It’s alright, tonight” you believe it which is what you want from a song. There’s also a really cool and fast guitar solo that’s surrounded by vocals and slide guitar. The song also has a classic sounding breakdown. Next up is “Out of the Blue” and it is slightly more pensive and reflective at first. I loved the organ and there’s an additional vocalist to this song. The chorus is perhaps even more hopeful and positive than the previous song. “Just For You” is arguably the highlight. It’s more stripped back revolving around a couple guitars and vocals. Cody’s music to me definitely has an older type of aesthetic. Unfortunately, you won’t find music like this on the Billboard charts. You would have to go back a couple of decades. On that note, myself and many others yearn for the days when music felt a little more authentic and real in a sense. If you feel like that I think there’s a good chance you will appreciate this EP.
Old Friends are Nick Noto (guitar/vocals), Anthony Keller (drums) and Victor Sabatino (producer), who bring their unique flair of indie rock to audiences worldwide. Noto’s sandpapery, nearly understated vocals that are both cavernous and earthy provide a distinctive underbelly to the overarching guitar riffs on their latest EP Coming of Age. Noto takes the lead in all the tracks as his stage presence is obvious from the get-go. Noto as the main songwriter behind the EP says that the title fits not only because the record is about his own coming of age but it also feels like a real step toward the right direction in regards to the band’s development. The EP is their sonic coming of age. This definitely feels like a step forward for the band, as tonally and musically, the musicianship on this EP really comes together to great effect with a very polished and professional production.
Coming of Age starts out with the title track “Coming Of Age,” where some warbling synths address the start of this track as dynamic strumming on the acoustic guitar makes for a compelling sound. Eventually, electric guitar and bass are joined in. The music mixes rock and pop to make for a very refreshing take on rock n’ roll. The piano melody interwoven into the rock vibes feel melodic and harmonious. It is a nice addition that gives a very jazzy and lounge vibe. An acoustic melody on just guitar arrests the start of “Run.” The driven vibes really make for some great energy on this track. The vocal harmonies hum on the backdrop of this song, highlighting a warm and reverberating sound making this a definite highlight. The sandpapery vocals mix in with a touch of sunshine and honey. Noodling on the acoustic guitar makes for a driven energy toward the start of “Place To Hide.” There is a nostalgic flavor to the song as Noto reflects on his memories of the past. The golden and sun-soaked sounds feel in line with the reflective and introspective lyrics. Guitars that sound like they are being played underwater gives the song “Jon Stewart” a dissonant and off-center vibe. This felt like a very flavorful track redolent with mood and ambiance. On “Blame,” the vibes feel grungy with a slow burn quality. The groove is also sauntering, slowly evolving in sound as the song builds in momentum. The finger-picking on the banjo provides an undercurrent of emotions being conveyed in the lyrics. With an overall buzzing of guitars, the sound gives a very heavy and hard rock vibe on “The Song Written Today.” The band really jams out here. The vibe is busy and noisy as the band goes all out to rock out hard. The shimmering guitars sound very melodic as Noto’s vocals offer a wave of emotion and feeling to the music. The vocals come across as a bit subdued here so that it was a little hard to make out what he was saying. Rumbling bass starts off “On My Own.” Gradually, a smattering of drums settles into the groove. More of Noto’s grungy vocals sets the tone to this track. As the acoustic guitar trickles in, the song makes way for a more acoustic-based sound. The background ‘ohhs’ really make for a dynamic listen. I thought this was a flavorful way to end the album. The band makes music that is reminiscent of rock acts like Matchbox 20. In fact, a lot of the vocals and embellishments reminded me of Rob Thomas and pop rock bands who follow in a similar vein that were prevalent around the ‘90s and ‘00s. The group keeps these vibes alive well into another era of rock. Not just taking instances from these aforementioned bands, Old Friends keeps the sound fresh and their own, bringing about their own take to indie, rock and pop. I thought the overall quality of the production from the musicianship to sound recording were all top-notch. This proved to be a must-listen for those already fans of pop rock as well as those just getting into these genres. The band’s driven energy vies for your attention, and it is worth exploring the band’s back catalog as well to get a better idea of their sound. But in the meantime, Coming of Age proves to be an adequate introduction to their music. This was an enjoyable listen and I look forward to seeing more music in a similar vein in future releases.
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May 2024
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