At Couchdog we get the privilege to listen to a lot of debut releases. An artist’s first offering are often extremely interesting. Not only from a sonic point of view but also the context in which the songs were written. We currently find ourselves on a bit of a hot streak on the blog with our last review of Uncle Umma’s debut EP being not only very exciting to write about but to also listen to. This streak continues with this EP titled The Imposter by Spenser. Another artist from Melbourne/Naarm who manages to seamlessly blend genre and tone in a very subtle way.
Flowing through the 7-track release you will find an array of sounds that take influence from contemporary artists that are a current fit with sounds that are considered ‘trendy’ as well as references to the genres that helped shape those trends. The story telling nature of the lyrics as well as the use of jazzy guitar chords immediately remind us of an artist such as Rex Orange County. The personality of Spenser shines in these moments as his playful lyrics glide effortlessly over the smooth chord transitions. However, the more casual moments on this EP (such as the opening track Trainspotting and Lost in Smokers) are counterbalanced with more focussed and upbeat songs that also make reference to other popular contemporaries. The way in which the hip-hop styled drums mix with layered synth patterns feel similar to the artists that make up the old Odd Future collective. A hint of Tyler, the Creator with a dabble of the RnB flavours of The Internet. In fact, one of the highlight songs Southbank Funk has a strong resemblance instrumentally to a few songs on The Internets 2018 full length Hive Mind.
While this review has predominantly referred to contemporary trends thus far one of the main intrigues of The Imposter is its references to the past. Modern Funk/Hip-Hop and Soul are the biggest components of the tracks but there is also instrumentation that makes note of artists in the past. The tones of a lot of the synthesizers are very reminiscent of early Stevie Wonder and the catchy chorus of a song like What Makes Me Think Of You has the upbeat tempo and cadence of 60’s pop. There is also an inherent cinematic quality that ties all the varying sounds together. From the soundscape in the title track to the interlude that makes a humorous sketch utilising references to The Wolf of Wall Street. The whole release feels like one big immersive experience even with the broad range of sounds that its reaching for.
If this review intrigues you we strongly recommend you follow Spenser here and listen to The Imposter
fknnnnn ye