Excelling with a dynamic, often dreamy art-pop and rock sound, Rare Brew is another standout showing from Suris. Last month, we featured their stellar new album Pertinax, and now this re-release collects standout tracks showcasing the duo’s tendency for masterful productions, from ethereal piano-led introspection to electrified rock grooves.
Dreamy piano and resonant vocals open the album on “Astroturf,” exuding an otherworldly, starry-eyed ambition as space-minded references move with lush allure. “It was you,” the vocals let out during an especially magnetic sequence, bolstered by gorgeous reflective harmonies as the piano work mingles with textured electronics. The project’s knack for emotive songcraft and riveting soundscapes is abundant throughout, and “Astroturf” makes that quickly apparent. The ensuing “This is the City” moves with a more debonair rock drive, with a title-bearing declaration — to “burn out the fever” — combining with fervent electric guitar tones and sturdy rhythmic pulse.
Another standout track, “Great Wide Open” enthralls with its mystique-filled production — weaving serene keys/bells and “jungle takes over” lyrical artfulness, into a caressing “long way to go, to reach the great wide open” central chorus. The aesthetic reminds blissfully of a cross between Talk Talk and Kate Bush, channeling an ’80s art-pop charm in its atmospheric prowess and consuming vocal presence. From the string-laden heights of “Hellion” to stomping sophisti-pop chiller “Last Fish in the Sea,” the second half of the album continues to invigorate with fantastic songwriting and productions. Rare Brew is a can’t-miss listen from Suris.
—
“Great wide Open” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
