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.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
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
|