Unravel starts strong and then eases off—this is an EP put together like a strong water current at full moon, resting bit by bit as the sun comes out.
EinarIndra kicks things off precisely where he’s been before with new EP Unravel. He features his ghostly vocal style beside an ambience of synths, and deep pulsing bass that pounds with power. Unravel starts strong and then eases off—this is an EP put together like a strong water current at full moon, resting bit by bit as the sun comes out.
The first track, “Ripples,” starts with strength. The bass pulses and ruminates almost sensually. Here the vocal performance is focused and dramatic—a style close to Kaleo’s vocalist, JJ Julius Son or Bon Iver’s, Justin Vernon. Yet three tracks later and EinarIndra’s sound becomes lost or goes elsewhere. Unravel gets too exploratory and a bit too predictable—executing the same riffing style and expecting different results. The musical law of diminishing returns.
Opening track “Ripples” carries an emotional power and is kept simple. Deep pulsing synths and bass notes energise this track with the ghostly vocal ranges of EinarIndra carrying you through. There is often beauty in simplicity and it can be found in this opening track. Third track “Sweet Honey” has a provocative break in its middle where it completely stops to an ambient lull yet misses the mark with an emotional passion as things pick back up again. Fourth track, “Take Me Down,” is an accomplished production, sparse and solemn, with soft ambient synth notes and gentle vocals leading. It’s an ending to a decent showcase of EinarIndra’s work that misses the emotional punch it so desires to hit you with.
EinarIndra was billed to this writer as a pop/electro artist on Möller Records roster—an artist that has the potential to crossover to different genres, possessing both mainstream and niche appeal. It’s easy to see how that could be. EinarIndra has the Kaleo hit, “Way Down We Go” type of Indie drama living in his sound. Combine this with an experimental electro style and that’s a powerful blend for listeners across niche and popular domains.
Yet the lasting impression taken from his work is: muddled, too experimental and not pop enough. That’s not necessarily good or bad to make a judgement about the quality of this EP, it simply means I’m unclear what exactly EinarIndra’s aiming to achieve as he continues to produce.
Should EinarIndra figure his style out, a sharp product could be honed that has huge crossover appeal. He’s definitely on the right path. Experts tell us the stuff getting popular in music today invents its own market as the market’s so inflated. Unravel is an expertly produced work that has near misses, but only by the hair. There’s a lot of potential in this artist and his next release may fulfil that.
Unravel is available on Möller.
