Something completely different to kick off the August collection of indie gems. On the surface, a passionate and colourful chaos of genre-fusing originality, but underneath this, a multitude of slick riffs, funky grooves, vocal refrains, and distinct moments that are vast and fearlessly eclectic.
Shunya Cassius takes full control of an undetermined lane, with the provocative artistic freedom of A World Too Self Aware.
Featuring aspects of progressive rock, soul, jazz, funk and experimental indie, this psychedelic infusion of musical expression is refreshingly organic, and poignantly provocative in its conceptual discussion of modern life.
The voice is quiet at first, a kind of single-note drone of diary-like statements, with the emotion clearly growing – something cleverly supported by an exploding instrumental soundscape of increasing layers and details.
The density of thought is wild, fully-loaded and intriguing, while cool riffs both intensify and calm down the outer layers accordingly.
The track is built upon passion and escapism for the musician and implied ensemble of Shunya Cassius, but it’s also impressively recognisable for these specific inflections such as the riffs, the saxophone, the funkadelic fragments, and of course the vocal identity at the forefront.
The project contains two songs – A World Too Self Aware, and the subsequent track Until The Circle Breaks. It’s a focused burst of anxiety and comfort carefully intertwined, and the second track adopts the latter more notably, blending piano and soothing vocal harmonies, with more of that mildly psychedelic sixties rock essence from before.
It’s a looping, hypnotic post-four-minute arrangement, countering repetition with subtle adlib moments of pure uninhibited humanity – the vocal outbursts, the gentle solos – and there’s something strangely addictive about committing to the moment as a listener.
The style is completely different, but also makes perfect sense in the context of A World Too Self Aware, and the closing song finishes with a modest but evocative guitar solo, which again reminds us of the soulful escapism, conviction and performative flair of Shunya Cassius, in delivering a sonic blend of indie post-punk soul-jazz and world music that’s entirely his own.
Love the freedom – love the meaning, focus and fire of real music.
