San Diego’s Modern Victim reignites the punk-pop, emo-rock emotion and energy of the nineties – alongside a refreshingly crisp contemporary edge; Foundations is a short yet immersive collection.
Fall makes for the perfect introduction – a full soundscape, fast-paced yet still somehow mellow and emotive. Meanwhile the voice showcases a tale of intimacy and loving dedication – the honesty of both the lyrics and the vocal presentation proving a definite highlight for the way it connects with the listener.
“I’m not perfect, but I’ll never let you fall.”
Great melodies and beautiful lyrics meet with quickly likable musicianship – ambiances that beg for a live show, or for you to turn up your headphones and complete escape as the world speeds by outside.
This inspiring, thoughtful core runs throughout these four songs. Let It Go follows on gorgeously, contrasting a heavy verse with a subtle drop before the hook kicks in. The words and the anthem-like embrace of the chorus reach out and remind you not to sweat the small stuff. Nostalgia and relevancy walk hand in hand, and it’s a pleasure to fall into.
The central truth of us not being perfect as humans comes to light again with personal story-telling as an addictively energising Without You hits the airwaves. Modern Victim proves an intriguing artist name, given the openness and self-reflective awareness of the songs. The sound alone is likable, really well-crafted, with a natural voice that seems born to perform in this way. Conceptually though, there’s a whole other realm of intimacy and realness at work – this repeating idea of what it means to be a modern victim, its topical connection to us.
The softly echoing tones and vocal fragments of an acoustically led Mine bring the EP to an impressive finish. The fullness and pace from earlier falls away, exposing an up-front acoustic scene, within which you can really appreciate Modern Victim as an artist; a musician, needing nothing but a voice, yet thriving in any setting when given the time and space.
Beautiful, a really enjoyable EP that you’re likely to wish was a little longer.
Check out Modern Victim on Instagram.
