Lounge Act Jam return this season with a two-track EP that balances the fuzz and distortion of shoe-gaze and grunge, with a notably dreamlike, punk-pop vocal line; which quickly progresses to is anthemic, repetitive hook, to round up a decidedly short-lived existence.
Bobby Never Frowns utilizes contrast to a supreme degree. A wall of audio envelops listeners, feeling heavy and loud. And yet amidst this you get a surprisingly audible, quiet vocal lead, which meanders through its long-form melodic story-line – subtly fighting every step of the way to keep your focus on the lyrics.
Then the whole thing resolves, and repeats, and wraps its sudden simplicity around you, before coming to an unexpected and mildly abrupt end.
Following this, the far more mellow and spacious, bass-led groove and subtly psychedelic Let Me Be The One You Want Me To Be begins to pour through – changing the mood, yet keeping the style relevant to this collective project.
The psychedelic, experimental aspects take over increasingly as the track goes on, ultimately evolving into a brilliantly hypnotic groove that’s somehow managed to be genuinely unique among today’s musical landscape. The lyrics fade away without drawing attention to the fact, so you’re left with the lingering ideas provoked by the title and the opening vocal moments.
There’s a touch of When The River Flows to this approach, and indeed some of the more laid-back, Are You In? style moments from Incubus; even perhaps a dash of Bran Van 3000’s Drinking in LA.
Lounge Act Jam are undoubtedly crafting a style and sound of their own at this time, and with each new release these traits and qualities become all the more recognisable. Easy alternative music to escape into.
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