David Kleinekottman aka Present Paradox is back with his fifth release entitled A Cave In The Inside. The prolific songwriter who makes atmospheric experimental rock only seems to be getting better with his vocal work and production. That being said the influence from Radiohead is undeniably strong this time around and in fact seems to be almost an homage to A Moon Shaped Pool on specific songs. Moody, dark synths, dissonance, pads and reverb laced vocals with impressive percussion elements make up a good portion of this album.
One of the standouts was the first track entitled “Nightwalk” which revolves around a simple yet haunting piano melody. Other dark elements shimmer in the background as the vocals slip into the mix. He is able to grow the intensity of the song through atmospheric elements in a very similar way that you hear on “Daydreaming” by Radiohead. Up next is “Magical Twist” which is more groove-oriented than “Nightwalk” which I felt were the most original sounding compositions. It’s a delightfully dark piece with some similarities to Portishead and even Nick Cave when it came to the vocals. The hooks don't shout at you and the song’s strength was in the production of the layers of sounds. “Masquerade” is another enjoyable track largely due in part to the advanced production techniques and solid songwriting. He plays with the reverb on certain vocal sections and is able to create a sense of tension with the sound design during the verse. “Good Wind” had perhaps the most notable vocals. I have to admit another Radiohead song entitled “Ful Stop” did come to mind. The way the drums fade in along with the vocal melody and distant sounding synth seem to strike a similar vibe. The title track comes very close to duplicating the guitar and drum work on “Present Tense” by Radiohead yet the vocals deviate completely. “Black Coats” has some inspired moments especially towards the middle of the song where he lets loose with the vocals. Although I was sometimes struggling with the overt influence on this release I really do love this artist and appreciated all of his past work as well as this release. There is immense talent here and I encourage you to take a listen.
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May 2024
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