SOUND CHECK

by Daniel Cochrane

Kelly Lee Owens Inner Song

2020/21 Self-ReleasedK.L.O. returned in 2020 with Inner Song, following up her wellreceived 2017 eponymous debut. The Welsh producer, writer, and mixer extraordinaire effortlessly avoids the perilous sophomore slump with a universally acclaimed L.P. that expounds upon her previous work with an adept weaving of bangers, soothing textures, and considerable introspective lyrical growth. The album follows a tumultuous period within her personal life, the impacts of which are felt across the album's sonic and lyrical landscape. Efforts such as "On" and "L.I.N.E." give hints to Owens' coming to terms with her struggles and celebrate the growth that they ultimately nourished. Owens shines best by her ability to blend ethereal lyrics, heavy club beats, and soothing electronic landscapes throughout the album giving each subsequent song its personality and allowing each to have its moment. It is an album in which the listener will flow back and forth between pieces finding new favorites to focus their adoration with each subsequent listen. Initially, I latched onto "Night" "Melt!" as they are the most effortless beat-driven pieces that grab a listener's attention. Still, over time the nuances of "L.I.N.E.," "Wake- Up," and instrumental "Flow" each occupied my mind as well. In truth, there are no filler tracks on Inner Song as each track shines at various times with repeated listens. The downtempo "Re-Wild," banger "Jeanette," album opener a mellow cover of Radiohead's' "Arpeggi" and the feature of fellow Welshman John Cale on "Corner of my sky" will all find their way into the listeners' psyche at some point. Inner Song is genuinely one of the top efforts of 2020.

Zac Marben Run the Night

Former Volcom and Vans professional rider Zac Marben is back with another collection of his guitar infused spacey jams on 2020's November release Run the Night. The release is his sixth full length over the past halfdecade. It follows the blueprint of its predecessors with effects-laden jams interspersed with a few lyrical efforts, all of which generally clock in at the 2:30 minute range. I assume, as with earlier efforts, Zac continues to play all instruments on the album. I've always loved listening to Zac's music while snowboarding. Undoubtedly, due to years of riding, he has developed an ability to craft a song that feels as if it belongs inside your head on a pow day. Run the Night does just that and has many gems throughout; "The River," "The Summer Sun," and "Shivering" immediately come to mind. However, those are not the only noteworthy efforts across the 13-song landscape. As noted before, many tracks clock in about the 2:30 minute mark, a common theme across Zac's music that used to get under my skin a little ("I need more of that song Zac!"). However, I've now come to appreciate the brevity by way of the immortal words of Bobby Womack "leave them wanting more, and you know they'll call you back." The one departure Run the Night presents from earlier efforts is welcomed with open arms. Many of Zac's previous albums encompassed a majority of instrumentals with only a smattering of vocal tracks. On Run the Night, the listener is treated to a near 50/50 mix of the two with beautiful results. Perhaps change isn't always a bad thing.

Cop Kid Bonsai (single)

Cop Kid is the on-again-off-again project of Utah's Marny Proudfit and Boone Hogg that has produced a handful of singles over the past two years. The duo describes themselves on their Bandcamp as "a collaboration of haunt-worthy vocals and trampolining beats blending the line between acoustic and electronic." Their Spotify merely lists them as "Britney Spears cover band" (insert laugh emoji here). Despite a release date near the end of September of 2020, Bonsai still managed to be my second most played song of the year. It's a haunting lo-fi masterpiece. The bubbly beats and upbeat singing tempo disguise the brooding lyrical self-depreciation and loathing. Proudfit tears herself (or the song's protagonist) down throughout the first half of the song with lyrics such as "I am a fire burning all I see, taught my friends to stay away from me. I'm blowing it." As the first half of the song continues, astute listeners can hear iPhone alerts' underlying pings denoting an ongoing conversation. Perhaps a drunken plea for love or a relationship ending argument over the universal medium. The second half of the song brings us to the titular Bonsai, which we learn sits in our singer's apartment dead but untouched. A reminder of lessons learned and love lost, a revelation arrived over swirling beats as Proudfit fades away, singing for the longing, love, and touch of her former lover. It's not easy to cram so much emotion and depth into a lo-fi pop song clocking in at a quick 2:15 but Proudfit and Hogg do so with exceptional proficiency. Bonsai is highly recommended for the painfully alone, emo-filled rainy days, or even for happy folks that can tune out the lyrical content and tap their feet along to the beat.

Death Stare Reverie / Isolator (singles)

Death Stare is a project from Salt Lake City multi-instrumentalist Matt Wingham. He is inspired and influenced by a neurological condition from which he suffers that causes dizziness, vertigo, and dream-like states. While the two singles are individually unique, each manages to evoke the same sense of swirling, floating, dreaminess. Reverie, released in October of 2020, is a slow build of echoing guitar swirling over ambient background sounds and drumbeats. Reminiscent of genredefining stalwarts Explosions in the Sky, Reverie manages to evoke stark emotion without the need for lyrical context. While the single may not break new ground for the genre it does successfully exemplify how an artist doesn't always have to reinvent the wheel to make their mark. Sometimes being an excellent example of the genre itself is a stunning achievement. The follow-up to Reverie, Isolator, dropped only a few short days ago in January of 2021 and, like its partner, is a slow-building instrumental with haunting guitars. Isolator differs from its predecessor via the prominence of a swelling melodramatic keyboard accompaniment giving the second single an added layer of ephemeral depth. I would be remiss if I did not also call attention to the videos that accompany each release. Found on the Death Stare YouTube channel via a link at Deathstare.com, each is also a visual dreamy, ethereal experience of contemplative sight and sound. Keep your ears (and eyes) open for more music from this new and exciting Salt Lake project.