Kate Brunotts is a New York City transplant, originally from Virginia. The singer/songwriter takes the electronic format and imbues it with her vocals to give the six tracks on her all caps EP a sound inspired by Lorde and FKA Twigs. I thought Brunotts incorporates these artists into her sound while also giving the music her own interpretation as well. About the struggles of keeping our digital and physical selves separate, I think Brunotts has done a lot to explore these two reams thoroughly.
all caps open up with “GEMINI,” where Brunotts reminds me a lot of Lorde. The music that comes forth is very electric and eccentric-sounding. I also liked the use of percussion here on this number. Brunotts’ overlapping vocal harmonies created a resonating wave of sound towards the close of this song. The music really starts to come together for a captivating vibe on “JOINT BANK ACCOUNT.” There was a slight dissonance to the electronic riffs, bringing across a very off-kilter ambiance overall. On “GONE SOUR,” more synths and keys trickle into the sounds on the intro of this track. Brunotts’ vocals ease us into a hushed and melodic soundscape. Next, Brunotts executes the vocals in a very spoken word-like vibe that also sounds a lot like a rap sequence. There was a cosmic quality to the music here that reminded me a lot of Florence + the Machine. On “GROUNDHOG DAY,” percussion and keys gives this song an immediate feeling. Brunotts’ delivery and execution on this track was perfect. Her showmanship is apparent from the get-go here. The finger-snapping percussion brings about a liveliness to the vibes. Brunotts’ vocals sounded very dynamic here. An epic sound comes from the beats and synths on “PROJECTIONS.” The finger-snapping percussion return here for a powerful atmosphere. Brunotts’ vocals take flight on this song. The EP culminates with the energized club vibe on “ALL THE VOICES IN MY HEAD.” An album that was produced and recorded in her apartment in NYC, even though this was a home recording, you can tell a lot of time and effort went into the making of this EP. Not only are Brunotts’ vocals packed with emotion, but as you listen you get the feeling that the artist throws herself into the music and gives it her all when going about her sound. There was a cosmic feel to some of the tracks like “GONE SOUR” and “GROUNDHOG DAY” that I was hoping the artist would continue exploring. I thought Brunotts brings something extra to the sound that would be worth returning to in a future release. The artist shows a lot of potential with this record and I look forward to seeing new music soon.
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McKinley Foster writes and produces electronic music as Core Memory. He recently released his first album entitled Align. The music is instrumental and is in the spirit of artists like Four Tet, Prefuse 73 and other like-minded artists.
“Below” is the first track. The track revolves around spoken word which was really the focal point of the song. I liked the music which surrounded the spoken word and the most brilliant part was the rising synth which sounds a bit like bubbles. The spoken word did feel like it was attempting to make some deeper philosophical point. I thought the album really started to get going with “Night Walk?” This song has a good amount of movement and a nice balance between lush and serene atmosphere and a more driving rhythm section. “Moon Dream” is a solid track that revolves around a strobing and pulsating rhythm. The song sparkles with elements and my favorite part were the horns. There’s a lot going on at this point and it almost felt like there were too many melodies for my brain to register. I think there were a couple elements that were mixed as lead. “Next Stop Elizabethtown” a down tempo song that definitely felt dark and as if it was a track for the night. The melodies on this song are easier to latch on to with the guitar and piano having a symbiotic relationship. “Bouquet” is a bit sensual to my ears while feeling cosmic and otherworldly. Interesting combo. “Confident Ghost” is a nice change in mood and a highlight. It’s a bit playful while also a bit haunting. The guitar melodies were great. “Pain Perdu” has a lot of momentum. It’s a longer track but is quite dynamic and has some moments which soar. There’s more great guitar action on “Formative Years” which is quite technical and I liked the acoustic touch here. It sounded like a classical guitar. “When The Trees Bow Down Their Heads” felt emotionally neutral to me but still a solid song. The album ends with “Align” and this is very atmospheric. There’s some dramatic spoken word but it needed to be EQ’ed or compressed differently because it was hard to make out. I would say fans of artists like Jon Hopkins, Caribou, Four Tet and other like-minded artists will appreciate this most. There’s some solid work here and I encourage you to check it out.
Dallas Busha is an artist from Spring Hill, Florida, and has been playing guitar for twenty years. Busha mentions “I began by learning jazz and quickly took a liking to punk rock and folk music. I currently play with a local metal band but wanted to expand my horizons.”Expanding his horizons came in the form of a five-song EP entitled Moral Compass.
The EP does mix a lot of disparate genres. There were certain moments which really caught my attention. The EP gets going with “Shattered on the Floor in a Million Pieces.” It starts with a guitar that sounds like it's creating a build. The crescendo is anticlimactic but in a good way. There are warm, buzzing sine waves, drums and solid guitar patterns. The vocals have a good amount of reverb but are sparse and I wouldn’t consider them a lead. There was a nice melancholy buzz and this was perhaps the most emotionally resonant moment on the EP. However the song changed quite drastically in mood. The mood almost feels emotionally neutral when it’s just guitar and drums. “No Borders'' contains some solid guitar work and has an upbeat quality. The vocals are barely staying in key towards the beginning but come together better a little later in the song. As the song progresses there are some original sounding parts and elements I wasn’t expecting. It's one go the highlights. “The Sound of Isolation” is this prog and psychedelic rock song with a very ’80s sounding foundation. However the song fades into another section which really sounds like a completely different song. There’s some guitar work which gives it pensive quality along with manipulated vocals which work quite well. “Old Ghosts” is the most rock based song and again so far has more of a prog, metal flavor. Last up is an intimate song called “Little Dove.” It couldn't be farther away from “Old Ghosts.” This EP is very varied in terms of mood, styles and aesthetics. So much so that I really couldn’t get much of an idea of a signature sound of the artist. My favorite moments were the melancholy ones like on ““Shattered on the Floor in a Million Pieces” and the end ““The Sound of Isolation.” I think this was the sweet spot for the artist and encourage him to explore this sound more because it’s where I think his strength lies. This is a scattered EP with a number of moments where everything seems to come together. I look forward to hearing more of his solo work.
Final Notice is a solo project located in Kansas City, KS. The artist mentions that he has been wanting to make music for a long time but only recently obtained the necessary equipment. The self-titled EP Final Notice is only three tracks and displays some potential from a young artist who is just getting started.
“Ten, 20, 30” is the first song and starts with a bass and a digital sounding drum loop. Soon enough the song introduces clean guitar which revolves around a couple of minor and major chords. There are vocals as well but they are ghostly and in the background. It’s not what I would call a lead but instead adds to the atmosphere. The song builds and builds and then leaves some space before the song gets wrapped in distortion. Once the distortion hits, the sound hits more of a straight shoegaze vibe. The vocals are catchy and hypnotic. This song doesn't contain hooks but succeeds in building engaging textures along with a pretty solid groove. He repeats the lyrics “There's something there / But I can't see it.” “I Feel Love” (a cover song originally by Donna Summer) is a little darker with a foreboding atmosphere that contains some dissonance. The vocals are lamenting in this sort of Thom Yorke type of way. I really liked this version. He nails it. Overall, this is very much in a shoegaze style. The thing I really enjoyed with how the reverb and atmosphere makes the lyrics feel especially powerful. There are some well done rises. This is how a cover song should be done in my opinion — reinterpreted in the artist's style. “Megatons” is a solid closer. The song starts with some phase-y and psychedelic guitars that are backed by a pulsating rhythm section. I was getting Radiohead vibes during the verse. The song is catchy but also rises with intensity in an organic and natural way. There are some exceptional peaks especially around the three minute mark which might be the best moment on the EP. The artist sings “I'm defeated, it's repeating I'll watch a movie to make it go away.” The production and recording quality was about average for a home recording. On that note he displays his talent with these songs and considering these are his first recordings I think we'll be hearing a lot more in the not too distant future.
moodcourt is a new project based in Atlanta that formed in 2020. The members include Davidson Weston (vocals/guitar), Andrew Rahm (drums) and Kris Ward (bass). Somebody Stop Me is their debut album.
The album is fourteen songs long and contains a mix of genres although rock is the primary genre. They do a good job mixing things up in the songs in terms of the transitions and changes I heard. There are some interesting surprises here and there which make the album feel fun. There were a couple of things that reminded me of a more distorted Pavement. The vocalist does tend to sound a lot like Stephen Malkmus. They get going with “Inside The Matrix” which is a fast and fun song to start things out. For the most part this is a rocking song but there were a couple things in the mix which made it feel unique. Take for instance the synths and keys that show up that make the song sound like it’s soaring. “Keeping It Down” drips with distortion. This song is nasty in the best way and really gets your adrenaline pumping. “Nobody Does It Like The Romans Do” is a song where the playfulness of a band like Pavement comes out. There’s also this unexpected outro where the song becomes ambient, the BPM slows down and it feels very dream-like. “Proto (Didn't Follow)” is another one in the win column. The song is deceptively catchy and there’s a surplus of changes which make the song feel exciting and fresh. “King Kurtis” is a wild and frantic song with elements of surf rock and blues. One of the things that might go unnoticed is the layers of these songs. If you aren’t listening on a high quality system you might miss some of the arrangements on a song like “Who Woulda Known” where melodies hide behind a wall of distortion. This is the halfway point on the album. As the album progresses I thought there were a number of highlights. “Slice Of Heaven” certainly hits the mark as well as “Bellyacher” and “Off-Put/Put-Upon.” Over the fourteen songs the band doesn't drop the ball. It’s a longer album but it’s consistently cohesive and contains zero fat. That paired with top level production make this an exceptional album, Highly recommended.
Shannon Drew (drums), Brendan Gamble (vocals/rhythm guitar), Matt Golosinski (bass) and Chris Rogers (lead guitar/vocals) are Stark. The band originally formed in Urbana-Champaign in fall 1988 which is where I happened to go to college. They had quite a buzz about them and even played with Smashing Pumpkins.
The band's self-titled album Stark was recorded back in 1989-1990 and was eventually remixed this year. I love listening to older albums for many reasons and this one felt contemporary in a lot of ways. There was a good amount of sound design that would have been hard to achieve all those years ago. The band has a nice mix of energy. There’s a good amount of garage rock as well as post-rock. In a lot of ways this band sounded ahead of their time. The opening song “Every Day” feels like a mix between a noir-like spy theme and post-punk. I loved the darker and cladenstine type of energy. The atmosphere was on point but there’s also some very catchy melodies. I thought the chorus was memorable. “Take It with You” has some great energy. The band rocks out hard on this in similar spirit to The Stooges or the lesser well-known Television. I loved the Joy Division-like aesthetics on “House of Rats” while “Now” hints at elements of post-rock before post-rock was a word anyone was aware of. As the album progresses I thought there were a couple of stand out songs. “How to Behave” is one of the more dynamic songs and I loved the vocal melodies on this song. There’s also this driving and dark quality to the song that hits the mark. The most kinetic song might be “Retro Visionary” while “City’s Insane” contains some exceptional guitar melodies. They close strong with “Better Class of Living” which is the most single worthy song on the album. I love the band's story but more importantly I love their music. It holds up quite well and in my opinion is more real, raw and honest than what you will hear on the Billboard charts today. Recommended
Dan Holden (guitar/vocals), Eddie Flynn (guitar), Ty Perle (drums) and Vince Mannino (bass) are Sweep Echo. Since their inception in 2018, they have been gaining significant momentum in the Philadelphia/NJ scene and recently released a three-song EP entitled Moments Before the Wind.
The band begins with “Ithica 27ø9” which is actually a cover of a song by the band Mogwai. At first, I didn’t realize this but about a minute in I was thinking this sounds a lot like Mogwai. Turns out it was a song from them, so it adds up. At any rate, Sweep Echo creates an impressive version. This song is like a lot of other songs from Mogwai and has a very clean and lush section and then builds into an absolute epic song. The song goes into overdrive at one point where the sounds are spilling over themselves but still somehow feel controlled. The first song however did feel like a warm up compared to the next song “Moments Before The Wind” which is an original song that the band has been working on since their inception. One of the major differences is the addition of lead vocals. The verse is slick with great guitar work and solid groove in general. There are a couple changes in energy and intensity while the vocals provide some memorable melodies. As the song progresses there are a good amount of transitions and around the middle there’s a serene and warm section which slowly creates a sense of growth. The guitar picking patterns start to seep, more distortion is added and every second seems to be building towards a crescendo that wants to let go. You can even hear an occasional scream in the background as the instrumental presses on like a hypnotic behemoth. The song has nowhere to go and eventually spills into shards of distortion and feedback. “Ouija Bored” is next and apparently the song was heavily influenced by the works of horror director Mike Flanagan, most notably his hit Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House. The song did remind me of the band Weezer especially towards the beginning. I think this was the catchiest song in the batch. The vocals were top notch and made it feel like the most single worthy song. It’s a pretty rocking song and during the chorus they don’t hold back and have a post-rock type of aesthetic. The whole EP is only around fourteen minutes. It did feel like an introduction to the band's sounds. The exceptional production and recording quality helped translate the emotional appeal of the band and I hope to hear more from them in the not too distant future.
Alberto and Isaac Flores, Matt Oliverio, Jacob Aguirre, Nikea Lopez and Gerardo Carrillo are Candy Blossom. They began working on a pandemic inspired project late 2020 and recently released Candy Blossom Live at the Herberger. The band explains, “The album is a mix of songs that take you from soft arrangements about aging and love to unapologetic anthems about war. Some of it inspired by the events of 2020, and other tracks by past experiences.”
The band starts with the song “Carousel.” They create a warm and fairly melancholy canvas at first with warm string, drums and bass. The guitars do brighten up the song. Once the vocals simmered in I was reminded of Tom Waits. I can’t say the vocalist sounds like Waits but musically something brought to mind the album Alice. The song progresses and widens in scope and intensity. It felt like a song that could work as an opener or a closer. “Autumn” is this sweet and tender song with a good amount of melancholy. The title of the song perfectly encapsulates the feeling you might get. I loved “Sentiment” which sounded a bit like it could be a song in a play. The combination of classical strings and guitar are a nice combo. There are elements which evolve and dissipate as well as multiple vocalists who sound good together. The band continued with “Better” which felt like a good call. This song brings with it a good amount of energy that the album needed at this point. That being said, the sweeping strings still give this song an undercurrent of melancholy. “Divine Bind” is a solid song and the first time I was reminded of the band Arcade Fire. There are some similarities but again something about the music gave it more of a theatrical quality. “Un-American Committee” has its moments but the catchy infectious “While Watching The News” felt like a highlight. Last up is the warm “Cinderella” which is another song that felt tender and heartfelt. It does rise towards the end and feels like a solid send off. Live albums are hard to make. Unlike a studio album there are no overdubs and the sound is more raw. In this case I would say it sounds like a well produced live album. I could make out all the instrumentation although I did sort of miss the sound of an audience. This is a solid release from a very good band. I think fans of some of the aforementioned artists should really enjoy this. Take a listen.
Dive Roll is an artist from Melbourne, Australia who recently released a self-titled album Dive Roll. On his Bandcamp page the artist mentions, “Home made recordings just trying to make something nice.” That's an accurate description of the songs. The songs sound like home recordings that were pleasant and easy to appreciate. On that note there’s a couple different styles the artist flirts with.
“Intro” is composed of a couple different melodic guitar patterns. There’s a hypnotic like quality with one guitar repeating a simple melody while the other one serves as the lead. “Wanted Posters” introduces other elements like bass, vocals and drums. The melodies and grooves were bright, catchy and warm. There are some vocals but they are relatively sparse and didn’t feel like a major focal point to the song. “Edge of the Universe” was a highlight. The vocals are a bigger factor here and the drums sound electronic on this song. There’s sort of a loose and playful vibe almost as if it’s a jam session. “Fiona” is a slower moving and melancholy song. It’s a much more ambient track that creates a mood more than anything else. I thought is was a bit of a palette cleaner halfway through the album. “Luggage Carousel” goes back into rock mode. There are shades of The Velvet Underground on this song especially in regards to the vocals. The song contains jangly guitar patterns, a steady 4/4 beat and a stoic quality that felt neutral when it came to the emotional resonance. “Garden Variety” is a brighter song and contains some of the best melodies all around from the guitars to the vocals. I would say this felt like the most single worthy song in the batch. “His Mind” sounded fairly different from the other songs in a couple of ways. This is the only song I would consider to be more folk based. The song is a little more close mic-ed as well and because of this gives it a more intimate feel. I would like to hear more songs in this style in the future. Last is a sort of slow but pretty and melancholy soundscape called “Wet day timetable.” This isn’t the most cohesive release but there’s some solid ideas and it gives you an overall idea of the artist's talent. There are a number of areas I’d love to hear the artist explore in the future but I thought this was a solid effort.
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