17-year-old Australian Sean Brown is a guitarist, singer and composer. While studying audio production, Brown created Breakaway, his debut album to showcase his talents. Prior to this, Brown released two instrumental singles. Enjoying the studio process Brown mixed, mastered, produced and well as performed all the instruments on the album by himself. This kid’s talent is more than a triple threat.
Breakaway starts off with “Gone.” Brown’s vocals are filtered out a bit, which is fine because the instrumentation is the focal point. The repetitiveness mantra of “Til it’s gone” echoes nicely as the breakdown leads to some lovely keyboards and guitar. “From A Distance” is a mellow song that has both acoustic and electric guitar harmonies with Brown displaying his songwriting creativity. “Every night you’re in my dreams, but you’re further than it seems. If I could tell you how much you mean to me. Well it would set me free.” The sweet lyrics and soft guitars keep your attention for the entire seven minutes. Brown is an incredible musician as well as composer. On every song Brown shows off how great he is at the guitar as he wails away with beautiful riffs. On some songs such as “Don’t Keep It” his guitar outshines his lyrics. His guitar skills are so powerful that it takes over the other elements. The majority of the second half of the album is mostly instrumentals tracks including the title “Breakaway.” “Equidistant” starts off eerie before emerging as a more rock orientated song with two guitars battling it out. “Lucid Beach” has a romantic salsa beach vibe to it that you brings you summer joy. Lastly “WAH-JAM” is a funky jam session well worth listening to. You can tell Brown had a good time making it. Sean Brown set out to release an album to show the industry what he can do. Breakaway accomplishes exactly that. He is musician and composer who knows what sound he is looking for. At only 17 years old he has a little more work to do on his vocals but his songwriting is solid. Hopefully we’ll get to listen to some more of his work in the near future.
Become A Fan
0 Comments
The latest album CHASUI茶スイ by Double D & kuroiyasha13 is a deep cut. I was reading about the topic and can’t say I’ve ever ran into this particular topic before. It states on their Bandcamp page, the album “follows the story of Kasano Asa, the weather girl of a Japanese weather forecast Weather Girl 13. This shy and timid girl's life changes when she and her sexually abusive boyfriend visit a tea/sex shop at a red light district.”
It’s extremely niche and arguably a little disturbing. At any rate the album is simultaneously experimental and accessible. The beats and production is the most inventive I have yet to hear from Double D & kuroiyasha13. They start with “intro” which is a little misleading. This is a four-plus-minute song. It’s sort of a collage with some very wicked beats. The timing is unique and deviates from 4/4 while dark atmospheric pads lurk in the background and reversed splices cut through the mix. “Flesh Market (feat. [PHOS.phenes])” is dark, dirty and murky. It’s the lower underground district that just starts to get going in the early morning hours. “Oshiete” sounds like it could be more influenced by an artist like Oneohtrix Point Never than anything. One of my personal favorites was the jazzy and noir influenced “Ambiguous.” It’s seedy and sounds like a detective who has clocked in too many hours was on the case. Don’t skip “Interlude” because it has some of the most brain breaking beats I have heard while “Igigi (feat. oghosthaze)” is perhaps a highlight. I was digging the female hooks on this song along with the inventive production. “Pink Tush Girl (feat. popjotripsix)” unequivocally has some of the smoothest rhymes on the album. “Chasui w/ Uncle's Paradise (feat. shymar ovita)” runs deep with metallic beat and groove, infused breakdowns that are spliced to oblivion. They close with the epic soundscape “The Violated Sex Tape Outro.” I don’t think words can do this one justice. Just listen. This is deep, experimental hip-hop that isn’t afraid to test boundaries both in theme and in terms of production. Recommended.
Click to set custom HTML
The loop genre is one that always manages to surprise me. I think when people often hear the label, they go straight to an electronic and futuristic perspective. The truth is loop methodology can be used in a variety of moods and settings. Luckily, I now have Mike Bodulow, a solo loop artist, to hold up as a perfect example of just how far reaching loop is these days. His debut album is Sequencing (how utterly perfect right?) and made quite an impression. With just a loop station and grand imagination, Bodulow has created deeply atmospheric and wide ranged musical movements.
This is an instrumental album with a focus on lo-fi post-rock experiences that paints with a wide variety of brushes. The entire album is very warm and breezy; it breathes. This is the sort of music that you can utilize in a score-like setting whether it be movies, television, film even video games. Lots of piano in here which is used so thoughtfully. It’s all very fluid, very little percussive influence if any. You will get a tiny traditional drum taste in “Used to Have A Band To Play With” and it’s very cool. The first two tracks, “Inspire Me” and “It’s Setting In” are truly breathtaking. For me I saw sprawling landscapes that went on for miles, although I saw them in brilliant color stories with acidic filters. Especially with “It’s Setting In” I could really enjoy the natural circular nature of the music. Loop is fascinating in that the artist can choose to relish in the physical form of the looping or hide it. Bodulow has a good mixture of both. I will say I was more drawn in when he embraced that circular motion. The couple of songs that followed fell a little flat in comparison and I think that’s because they were so much more intimate, which is not a bad thing. I do think some additional, out of the box samples might have given those very lo-fi intimate experiences a little something extra. Back to “Used To Have A Band To Play With;” the effects there are truly fantastic. Such a beautiful movement that evokes nostalgia and sentimentality. Being a bassist, Bodulow used extra care when it came to recording his bass work applying compression and EQ very effectively. His weapon of choice was Ableton Live Lite. All the choices he made in regards to the album’s production allow him to perform these pieces live which is very exciting to me. This music has a call to the wild that I think would do very well in an open-air setting. I really appreciate Bodulow’s point of view and his spin on the loop genre. I think he is doing something noteworthy especially with his priorities being set with live performances in mind. I have seen my share of score albums, but nothing of this particular make. It’s very bare bones and drives its point home with subtle movements rather than grandiose crescendos. Taking that approach can be a risk. In this case it paid off.
The ever so young and talented band The Refractions has grown since the last time we reviewed their Breeze album. Now the four-piece band from Louisville, Kentucky have returned as 18- and 19-year olds with a rock pop album Paramind. For this record the Refractions took the next step forward by recording the album in the professional Sight Glass Sounds studio with former Picturesque drummer Cole Clark mixing and mastering. The quality of work definitely shows.
Paramind opens with breezy guitars and smooth vocals on “NYC, CHI.” It’s a poppy track with boy band dreaminess with a wonderful guitar riff all throughout the song. There’s a great guitar solo and that’s where I thought the song should’ve stop but it continues a little longer than I expected. “UFO” continues the trend of soft vocals with catchy melodies that help you vibe along. There are unexpected stops before breaking the beat making sure listeners are paying attention. “Smack” is an electrifying rock instrumental song that features Ahmi and Vena Cava. It’s a terrific instrumental track that has ripping a guitar; smashing drums with a solid build ending a blissful harmony. The ending comes out of nowhere. It’s dream-like sequence with hushed lyrics but the mood contrasts from alternative punk jam session to sounds of sending someone regret texts in the night. While it would’ve been nice if this was left as its own interlude, it does a solid job as an introduction to the next song “Bloom.” A great thing about Refractions is they do a good job messing with genres throughout the album. “Cream” has a lo-fi piano before stepping in with buttery smooth vocals and a horn section that is so catchy. The band also revisited and reworked some previously released songs such as “Anna” that was on their Breeze album. No harm in that, plenty of bands rerelease songs if they feel the product didn’t receive enough exposure. Also the band is a little older now and working in a high quality studio so why now give songs the proper love they deserve? Paramind is a very good pop rock album. The young men of Refractions have laid out a solid foundation and these guys aren’t even in their 20’s yet! You could argue that the album lasts just a bit longer than needed. Understandingly they want to show off everything they can do to leave a lasting impression. But sometimes leaving listeners craving for more is even better. That being said Paramind has plenty of engaging songs to keep listeners’ attention. Refractions are talented young men that are still learning to master their crafts. If they continue on this path, they’ll have a bright future ahead of them.
Suki Kuehn (cello) and Ruby Rendrag (guitar/vocals) are The Two’s. They have opened for such acts as rock legend Heart, international pop Star Zucchero, Tim Reynolds, and have placed music on the Emmy award-winning show “Nip/Tuck.” Early next month they are releasing a five- song EP entitled Push On.
The band has an accessible yet inventive sound. Take for example the cello that often takes over lead duties and adds an element that really gives the song an off kilter flavor. They start off with “Ms Jones” which is a warm and catchy folk song. Rendrag has a powerful and dynamic voice. She sounds great at multiple octaves. The cello is kind of subtle on this song but it has its moments. “City of Gold” has a good amount of energy. The percussion really drives the song and oh man the cello sounds so good. It feels thematic at times and like an adventure to other lands. The cello gave the song a western feel. “Lullaby” is perhaps the highlight. The hook on this song is infectious. Rendrag’s vocals have a dream like quality on the chorus. The cello work is pretty incredible. On the verse it’s more aggressive stabbing motion while the chorus contains beautiful sweeps. “The Letter” is very atmospheric with some huge sounding crescendos. The song becomes hypnotic towards the end. Last up is “Baked” which contained an absolutely wicked groove and is completely instrumental. It’s a little dissonant and dark and just really like the wave of energy they were. As the song progresses they absolutely crush and sound a little bit like Led Zeppelin. This is a great EP from beginning to end. Make sure to check it out next month.
Yoshi the Exile is an artist from Lancaster, Pennsylvania who recently released Yoshi The Exile EP. He makes certified folk music although it didn't feel like the late ’60s inspired Dylan folk which still seems to be the most popular form. It’s somewhat ironic that an American folk singer reminded me more of English folk music. There is a hint of Donovan as well as Pink Floyd when they utilized not much more than an acoustic guitar.
The EP starts with “Exile” and I think most people familiar with Pink Floyd can hear some of the similarities. I thought the vocals had a breathy, air like quality. They sounded almost stoic but not monotone. The guitar work is solid as well with minor atmospheric elements. The next song “Padiddle (Demo)” seemed to be a really cool tune. I like the picking pattern. The recording quality is really so lo-fi I couldn’t appreciate it for what it was. It sounds like he put a blanket over the microphone or something. “The Curse of Héloïse (Demo)” sounds much better. The airy vocals are back and I was digging the vocal melodies right off the bat. It’s the vocal harmonies that really make it sound full and on the verge of sounding like a chorus singing. The lyrics depict an adventure across majestic land. He sings, “You traveled the east, I the west / You conquered their hearts, and I the rest / and now down any road, is a den of thieves where I belong.” “Once in a Blue Moon, Forever” contained some of his best guitar work. He plays a hypnotic and quite beautiful picking pattern. It’s very Beatles-esque at moments. This song might be the highlight. He has some more success with “The Daggermouth Blues” which follows the same vibe as “Once in a Blue Moon, Forever.” The guitar tone is different which sounds great. The vocal melodies are exceptional. He closes with “No Light (Acoustic)” which veers closest to the style he starts with, My only critique is that I wanted some more consistency with the recording quality. I would like to hear a professional recorded version of his music. I thought his guitar playing and vocal style was actually refreshing to hear. There aren’t too many folk artists who sound like this. I’m excited to hear more. Recommended.
Dylan Hamburger is a young artist from Ohio who recently released Spontaneous Me. Hamburger got his start in high school and grew musically as he went to college. The three songs on the album were written and recorded over the last year or so.
The first song is entitled “Stranger.” I was initially attracted to the chord progressions which have some similarities with the band Grizzly Bear. The hooks are well done and I thought the vocal harmonies were well implemented. I was really digging the song and then quite unexpectedly it started going in a very different direction. There is a short section where the song gets theatrical and he goes in a melodramatic, spoken word. “Regression” is up next and is more experimental. It’s a little playful and Hamburger implements what sounds like synths of some sort and percussive elements. There is a hint of Pavement. The song is catchy but also not predictable which is a hard thing to pull off. “Up For Air” is another unique song. He really goes a lot of different places musically and vocally. The song felt like it was in a constant state of mutation. I thought the bass work in particular held the song together which created a hypnotic pattern. The vocals range from slight rapping, spoken word or traditional singing. It’s well done and again I really appreciated the experimentation. Hamburger certainly thinks outside of the box. I like how he approaches these songs although I can’t say every move he made worked for me. The next most obvious step for Hamburger is to get into a professional studio. His ideas are too big for lo-fi bedroom recordings. I think working with additional musicians could bring a lot to his music. Overall. I thought this was a solid EP and I look forward to hearing more,
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 Omniabsent Omniabsent 3.7 Conductor Icarus 3.7 Oscarina The Glimmer And Din 3.6 pencildive When I Go Outside 3.6 Moon Letters Until They Feel the Sun 3.7
Rare Earth Metals Vol. 2: Country Death Drone is a release by Vadim Budman. It’s a drone album made completely on bass and is very niche. The songs are abrasive, often harsh, full of distortion and don’t even think for a minute you can sing along. This music has some things in common with artists like Kevin Drumm, Merzbow and early Tim Hecker.
There are nine songs but in reality this album could just be one long track. This music could very much be considered ambient. Similar to ambient music there are no cleared defined beginning, ends or choruses. The pieces often feel like they could just go on and on. In this case the often chaotic metallic dissonance and jarring nature of it could cause one to go insane after a couple of hours. Now I don’t say this as a pejorative. This music isn’t for the faint of heart. There is unequivocally some beauty here but I can say without hesitation that a lot of people simply won’t find it. It’s a little like watching a nature film where a predator is stalking its prey. The chase and kill can be brutal and graphic but there is also this raw beauty in that this is what nature looks like. There should be a little warning with this album. The explosive quality, unrelenting pressure and drill like drones might catch you off guard if you haven’t listened to noise artists before. It’s a little like jumping into a pool before knowing how to swim if you haven’t heard a track like “The Colour of Three” by Fennesz and had an appreciation for it. My point is that if this is your first time then just give an album like this some time to wash over you. It might take hours, it might take months or it might not ever happen. If that switch does flip then you will never go back. You will find an appreciation for music that sounds like tectonic plates ripping apart at the seams, or what you might imagine the inside of a nuclear reactor might sound like on the sub-atomic level.
I live in Chicago but make my way across the state once a year to visit a friend in St. Louis. On that short journey I pass a lot of midwestern towns. One that isn’t too far away is Greenville, Il which is where husband and wife duo Shaun and Rachael Stief reside. They call themselves The Stifftones and released a song called “Midwestern Town.”
The song sounds exactly like the title. It sounded like a song I would hear at an open mic in a small town. I know this because I have experienced it often over the years. The lyrics are straightforward and about the ambivalent sort of relationship they seem to have with this town they live in. There isn’t a whole lot happening instrumentally in this song. It's a very basic strummed chord progression made up of a couple of minor and major chords. The main attraction you could say are solid vocal performances from both members. I will also add that Rachael’s vocal performance was exceptional. They also sound good together which I would say is the most important factor. The duo apparently is trying to make music for a living. I have some real advice if they are willing to listen to someone who has been in the music business for over twenty years. Try and differentiate yourselves and focus on creating a signature sound. This song is solid but it is very familiar sounding to this genre and plays right into the playbook of what to expect. I also have to express that I hope to hear some more advanced instrumental work both creatively and technically in their future. I would say this single at the very least shows potential from the duo. They do harmonize well and the performances are unequivocally heartfelt and sincere. I know for a fact they have a long road ahead of them if this is their first year taking their music to the next level. On that note I hope to hear more soon and wish them luck on their journey. |
Critique/insightWe are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.
Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook
Archives
May 2024
|