Danny Baxley’s latest musical offering certainly secures his spot as an alternative and creative musician and songwriter. Ithaca intrigues with its title alone, then once you arrive, this other worldly soundscape erupts into life.
The music presents an ambient story line, the details of which are explored through both the lyrics and the way the instrumentation and the effects collide and gather as the track progresses. The opening few moments introduce a calm, confident, yet somewhat experimental piece of music, complete with distorted, indie anthem style guitar riffs, and an equal measure of electronically driven, dreamlike samples and synths. Soon enough, Baxley’s voice creates something completely new on top of what was already a pretty compelling and atmospheric piece of audio.
The leading vocal adds an undeniably human touch to the sound, despite the effects it’s contained within. This builds upon the indie rock feel of those guitars. The verses express a certain alt-pop or emo mood, not dissimilar to the likes of Brand New or Dashboard Confessional. It’s a brief and fleeting comparison though, as for the most part, Danny Baxley offers audiences a fresh and creative take on music and artistic expression. To turn it up loud and simply listen, enjoy and escape to; the music has its own voice and energy.
The cascading riffs and the rising intensity are quite sublime, particularly during those opening few bars. The whispered approach of the voice fits beautifully alongside this as things begin to build. Everything starts to distort after a while, and Baxley’s lyrics feed into this well – the reverb soaked lines and words you’re able to catch intrigue further, hopefully provoking thought, and most definitely re-emphasising the artist’s unique perspective.
Stream Ithaca on Spotify. Find and follow Danny Baxley on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. Visit his Website for more information.
