Track Review: Thomas Cohen – ‘Honeymoon’

Following the split of his band S.C.U.M earlier this year, it’s surprising that the newly married father of two, Thomas Cohen, has returned to music. However, this reverb soaked return is more than welcome.

Cohen’s dreamy debut track, ‘Honeymoon’, sees the ex-S.C.U.M frontman experimenting with instrumentation and composition, laying down free-jazz saxophone on a bed of synth-y subtleties against the backdrop of a warm and spacious chord progression. The romantic ballad builds to a satisfying solo which shines a light on Cohen’s eclectic influence as heavy distorted guitar lines bleed into a glam-rock finale before falling back into the arms of the ethereal chorus.

This ever-flowing enchanting effort manages to combine many different musical ideas confidently without sounding at all confused. This is most definitely a bold and ambitious first step for Cohen as a solo artists that has left me hypnotized and wanting more.

Track Review: Tycho – ‘Awake’

Man of many talents, Scott Hansen, takes a break from graphic art and updating his minimalist design blog, ISO50, to follow up his ambient projects dreamy 2011 release ‘Dive’.

‘Awake’ is the first single to be released from Tycho’s forthcoming LP expected next year. It features everything you’d expect and want from a Tycho track: warmth, depth, and atmosphere. ‘Awake’ perfectly demonstrates Hansen’s ability to create a visceral experience as this (unusually) guitar driven tranquil landscape of a track manages to evoke a longing nostalgic feeling for a coastal life I am yet to live.

Track Review: Arcade Fire – ‘Reflektor’

Once again, Arcade Fire have challenged my expectations of them. This is not to say they haven’t met said expectations but have exceeding them by giving me something I didn’t know I wanted: a relentless groove-centered dark-disco epic based upon the Montreal based art-pop outfit’s fear of a technologically saturated world. Who Knew?

‘Reflektor’ demonstrates a stylistic departure for the band as Arcade Fire stray away from the Springsteen leanings of ‘The Suburbs’ and seem to gravitate towards the dance-able melancholy of such 80’s artists as Depeche Mode and New Order. However, there is no need to fear this change in direction as ‘Reflektor’s thoughtful underbelly and grand cinematic surface confirm that this is still most definitely the Arcade Fire you know and love.