Gregor Samsa
Gregor Samsa EP
genre: post-rock
"Slow and sad, slow and happy, but never fast or anything" is how Gregor Samsa describe their music. And it's a pretty accurate description. Gregor Samsa play their own brand of post-rock, not the epic build-ups that groups like Godspeed You! Black Emperor have gotten us used to, but an intimate, honest sound that still comes out as magnificent as any of the big names in the instrumental word. However, here's the kicker - Gregor Samsa are not an instrumental band. They even employ dual male/female vocals, by Champ Bennett and Nikki King. This has gained them comparisons to the 80s shoegaze and dream pop acts.
While Gregor Samsa's debut album 55:12 is a brilliant work, I've decided to review their first, self-titled EP, because I feel it encompasses all of the aspects that make Gregor Samsa such a special band, and only in the span of 18:04 minutes. It should be noted that the songs are referred to by the band as "one", "two" and "three", and are also sometimes addressed as •, •• and •••.
The EP's first song quickly introduces us to what will dominate most of the album: the layered post-rock sound aided by a piano and the dual vocals (which in this moment sound pretty "even"). When the drums kick in, the male vocals take the lead, with Nikki's support. Then comes a mini-interlude with ambient sounds and a typically post-rock last moments. The song isn't really the best Gregor Samsa can do, but it's still beautiful in the sense that this is just how the band's music works and it still manages to set the mood for the next track.
The second song is the longest, and in my opinion the strongest track in the record. The instrumental intro does not take long to greet Champ's vocals, still partaking in an "acompanying the instruments" role. Now, this may sound contradictory because of the spotlight I've given to the vocals in this review, but that's where the beauty lies - their voices never go to the front, never clog the calm pace of the instrumentation, instead taking a more "personal" stance, keeping, and changing when necessary, the mood of the music. Anyway, halfway through the song the instruments stop, only to come back at full force, loud but keeping the same pace, fading away to let another few seconds of ambience (and a very modified voice sample) build up tension in their own way. Champ Bennett comes back then, singing in an anthemic mood now. Raise your arms up to the sky now, close your eyes... the instrumentation building up, led by the amplifying yet fading guitar, to a completely blissful climax that lasts 40 or so seconds. Awesome.
Last track of the record, and it displays the female vocalist again. Actually, this is one of the calmest songs Gregor Samsa have put out. Nothing much really happens in the first three or so minutes, but this is where ambient music fans will rejoice. It's definitely a beautiful piece, but requires even more of your attention than the other two songs do. However, there is still a loud section towards the end.
We're left with three good tracks in their own ways, three tracks to dive into and be engulfed by the lush atmosphere they set.
8/10
Note: Track 2 is available for free download at Gregor Samsa's official site, along with some others from the rest of their discography. Check them out here.
Gregor Samsa EP
genre: post-rock
"Slow and sad, slow and happy, but never fast or anything" is how Gregor Samsa describe their music. And it's a pretty accurate description. Gregor Samsa play their own brand of post-rock, not the epic build-ups that groups like Godspeed You! Black Emperor have gotten us used to, but an intimate, honest sound that still comes out as magnificent as any of the big names in the instrumental word. However, here's the kicker - Gregor Samsa are not an instrumental band. They even employ dual male/female vocals, by Champ Bennett and Nikki King. This has gained them comparisons to the 80s shoegaze and dream pop acts.
While Gregor Samsa's debut album 55:12 is a brilliant work, I've decided to review their first, self-titled EP, because I feel it encompasses all of the aspects that make Gregor Samsa such a special band, and only in the span of 18:04 minutes. It should be noted that the songs are referred to by the band as "one", "two" and "three", and are also sometimes addressed as •, •• and •••.
The EP's first song quickly introduces us to what will dominate most of the album: the layered post-rock sound aided by a piano and the dual vocals (which in this moment sound pretty "even"). When the drums kick in, the male vocals take the lead, with Nikki's support. Then comes a mini-interlude with ambient sounds and a typically post-rock last moments. The song isn't really the best Gregor Samsa can do, but it's still beautiful in the sense that this is just how the band's music works and it still manages to set the mood for the next track.
The second song is the longest, and in my opinion the strongest track in the record. The instrumental intro does not take long to greet Champ's vocals, still partaking in an "acompanying the instruments" role. Now, this may sound contradictory because of the spotlight I've given to the vocals in this review, but that's where the beauty lies - their voices never go to the front, never clog the calm pace of the instrumentation, instead taking a more "personal" stance, keeping, and changing when necessary, the mood of the music. Anyway, halfway through the song the instruments stop, only to come back at full force, loud but keeping the same pace, fading away to let another few seconds of ambience (and a very modified voice sample) build up tension in their own way. Champ Bennett comes back then, singing in an anthemic mood now. Raise your arms up to the sky now, close your eyes... the instrumentation building up, led by the amplifying yet fading guitar, to a completely blissful climax that lasts 40 or so seconds. Awesome.
Last track of the record, and it displays the female vocalist again. Actually, this is one of the calmest songs Gregor Samsa have put out. Nothing much really happens in the first three or so minutes, but this is where ambient music fans will rejoice. It's definitely a beautiful piece, but requires even more of your attention than the other two songs do. However, there is still a loud section towards the end.
We're left with three good tracks in their own ways, three tracks to dive into and be engulfed by the lush atmosphere they set.
8/10
Note: Track 2 is available for free download at Gregor Samsa's official site, along with some others from the rest of their discography. Check them out here.
