MatAre’s latest album, Extinction Burst, showcases the Atlanta-based artist’s tendency for consuming songwriting across rock, post-punk, and electronic realms. The release’s title track is amongst its many standouts, strutting a sound that excels in both serene contemplations and passionate calls to action. The lyrical references to “bad behavior” and the virtue of patience are reflective of the album’s creative process, which arose from anxiety and societal disappointment following the most recent U.S. presidential election.
“Extinction Burst” begins with a synth-forward intrigue, ushering in a spacey mystique as vague electronic tones align gradually with a bouncy bass pulse and panting percussion. Glistening guitars emerge thereafter, with a touch of ’80s nostalgia in its shimmering tone. “There is a sense of urgency,” MatAre’s soothing vocals arrive seamlessly, tonally situated between Bowie’s quivering theatrics and David Byrne’s suave demeanor. The production enamors in its shifts between subduedly atmospheric and fervently anthemic.
Flourishes of dreamy synths expand gorgeously during the central chorus, as the vocals beckon to “make this disappear, then we’ll be free and clear.” “We’ve got to stop rewarding this bad behavior,” his magnetic vocals continue, punctuated by a moody interplay between post-punk guitar jangles and vibrant synth captivation. The track’s titular concept is reimagined here as both a warning and a rallying cry, and using persistence and discipline (“being patient will be key”) as essential for breaking cycles of harm. “Extinction Burst” is a stirring success from MatAre, who has caught our ears in the past with tracks like “Attach Your Memories” and “I Could Kill You But I Love You.”
Stream Extinction Burst in full, below:
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
