Track Review: "Spirits"

Artist: The Nth Power
Release Date: April 20, 2013
Label: Independent
 
On 4/20, The Nth Power showed us what they got with their first release Basic Minimum Skills Test. The album is available for $6 (USD) on their Bandcamp page.

Basic Minimum Skills Test kicks off with "Spirits,” beginning with a extremely airy feeling section lead by locked in South American sounding percussion before a swampy guitar lick sweeps in and carries the track onward. "Spirits” brilliantly showcases what they say the album displays: funk, jazz and soul. Throughout the track, the vocal harmonies feel as if they pick up on a distinct reggae influence. The themes in the song are constantly revisited, yet it is not overkill the overall output. The instrumentation on the album is ridiculously tight; dynamics are an extremely important part of this kind of music, and The Nth Power takes this into strong consideration with the framework of not only this track, but the rest of the album. When writing, much like in literature, there is the important "grabbing line" at the very beginning that is supposed to perk the readers interest. "Spirits" is an excellent "grabbing track" for this album, making it easier to step into the rest. Though the vocals may be overwhelming at times, there are minimal risks taken in creating this song. Lack of intense risks makes for an easier listen, and that really helps with this ear pleasing tune.

- Woocci

Track Review: "Titan"

Artist: The Physics House Band
Release Date: April 15, 2013
Label: Blood and Biscuits



"Titan" is the lead single from The Physics House Band's forthcoming release Horizons/Rapture due out April 15th. The track highlights the band's chaotic energy right from the beginning with a series of group hits. These hits are followed by occasional notes played on piano or guitar, which act as sparks after a sonic explosion. Musicianship shines here; the group hits are tight, and are soon followed by impressively complex drum beats. The production is great in that every instrument has it's own space, and everything can be heard if you're listening for it. At around a minute and a half, it takes a sudden turn which takes a lot of energy out of the song. Thankfully it's not a long section and within about 30 seconds, the listener is engaged in the track’s original chaotic feel. The mix of synthesizer tones and guitar is not only well done, but balanced. Neither one overpowers the other. "Titan" is comparable to a splatter paint piece, one where all the colors land in just the right places to compliment each other. The Physics House Band reminds me of an intoxicatingly brightly colored Godspeed You! Black Emperor song on this track, stylistically and emotionally. After hearing this, I'm now anticipating a lot from Horizons/Rapture.

-Owen Bolas

Track Review: "This Human Joy"

Artist: Ajimal ft. Emily Holie
Release Date: March 25, 2013
Label: Pop Sex Ltd



"This Human Joy," the second track that has been released in anticipation of Ajimal's upcoming Childhood project, is a fragile folk piece that could be described as something halfway between the orchestral folk popularized in the first decade of the 2000s and Jeff Buckley circa Grace. Such comparisons as the latter are obvious, but the lush instrumentation of "This Human Joy" and the vulnerably beautiful falsetto in which Ajimal sings it make them impossible to avoid. Although the song still would have been powerful if it were simply Ajimal sitting down at the piano, the tender harp flourishes added at the first refrain keep the track from being just another soft-rock throwaway. With ethereal harmonies and sweeping strings to spare, "This Human Joy" slowly grows from the aforementioned bare-bones sound to a triumphantly contained climax that sounds like Sigur Rós-- had they decided to ditch post-rock for a more straightforward chamber pop sound. There is something to enjoy for casual and critical listeners alike in Ajimal's latest, but it is the unique grandiose of the track and the organic quality of the lead vocal that makes the wait for Childhood all that harder to endure.

-Matt Gill