Los Angeles-based guitarist, producer, and songwriter Mike Bloom (a.k.a. Cave) enamors across SCARS, an EP born from years of songwriting accumulated between tours, session work, and composing for film and TV. The collection reflects a deeply personal and cathartic process, blending intimate folk textures with expansive, chamber-pop flourishes. Across its four tracks, Bloom’s tonal range is on full display — spanning from the introspective folk warmth of “Gaslight” to the orchestral, symphonic layers and hypnotic pop glow of “Nice Knowing Me.” This year’s single “Mountain” caught our ears with its soaring, heartfelt rock sound — and SCARS continues to showcase Bloom’s penchant for riveting songwriting and a melodic, sincere rock enthrallment.
Opening track “Gaslight” is a gorgeous display of Bloom’s tendency for tonal expansion — in this case, moving from a warming, stripped-down folk introspection into layers of plucky guitar twangs, dark symphonic mystique, and ghostly wordless backing vocals. The ensuing “Damnedest Things” achieves a similar sense of momentum, venturing from trickling guitar tones and hazy vocals into slithering ELO-esque strings, tugging at the heart in its “only you and I” mid-point sequence.
Another standout, “Nice Knowing Me” is especially enveloping in its hypnotic layers of folk guitars — then bursting into a beautiful chamber-pop glow past the mid-point, as the vocals attain a yearning harmoniousness. EP finale “Devastator” also stuns, weaving gentle vocal layers amidst an ethereal folk and pop cohesion. A poetic lyrical strength shows alongside with themes of redemption and passion, portraying love like a trial with lines like “Now may it please the court to find the singer / guilty of the crimes above.” With SCARS, Bloom affirms his gift for marrying technical precision with emotive depth.
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We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
