After high school Graham Bokram aka Orange Bear decided to pick up a couple of instruments and start making music. Bokram who is only twenty years old has released a self-titled EP Orange Bear. It’s his first attempt at making music and he even did all the recording and engineering. Bokram mentions “My goal was to limit myself to just guitar/bass/drums to make it easier for myself.”
“In A Rain” is the opening song. It begins with a 4/4 beat, clean guitars and steady bass. Right off the bat I was reminded of Tame Impala and Local Natives. The music is groove based and a little psychedelic. It’s also quite lush and atmospheric. After the first song I was impressed and excited to hear what else was around the corner. The aesthetics remain similar to the opener on “Skipping Stones.” It’s a delightful song that is quite catchy, upbeat and sort of carefree in a similar way I feel when listening to Real Estate. The dynamics are well done and the guitars work together. At the center of the song is the catchy vocals. The energy is similar on “There It Goes” however the chorus and hook is well defined. The lush and psychedelic qualities come together especially when the song rises with airy vocal harmonies. “Sun Kissed” felt like the first song that deviated from the others. The song starts with a kinetic interplay between bass and drums. There does seem to be a synth on this song as well. It has a cosmic quality with a sense of tension to it. The song really leads to a specific movement where it explodes around the one-and-a-half-minute mark. This felt a bit like music you might hear in a montage in a movie. “Zoo Lights” is a stripped back song focused on guitar. The song felt a little long for what it was but still a pleasant song. “I'll See You Around” returns to the style of the first three songs. This song is arguably the most catchy on the release. “Evening At The Lake” is free of a lot of the reverb that was on the previous songs. The guitar work is well done and the song feels warm and inviting. It felt like a strong closer. I started to make music when I was fourteen. It’s now almost thirty years later and I’m still at it. I remember my trajectory and it wasn’t fast. Bokram seems to have really excelled quickly and has a lot of natural talent and ability he’s tapping into. For someone who has been making music for such a little amount of time I was more than impressed. This is a great start and I thought this was a solid EP. I look forward to hearing more in the not too distant future.
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