first known use‘s new EP Yielding blends dreamy indie pop, expressive vocals, and guitar-driven art-rock, moving between delicate acoustic passages and fuller, fuzz-laden arrangements. The Burlington, Vermont duo of Izze Kaukonen and Ethan Fitzpatrick approach songwriting as a process of discovery, allowing its four tracks to shift naturally between intimate reflection and more forceful instrumental passages.
“Semantics” opens the EP with a delectably eerie, dreamy atmospheric edge. Laid-back acoustics and serene acoustics complement a riveting vocal presence, enamoring in its woozy lead and flourishes of backing countermelodies. An ensuing rush of twangy, distorted guitars compels melodically, and showcases the project’s knack for absorbing, seamless tonal shifts. The track’s commanding change-ups between lush introspection and ardent rock is fantastic. “Mirage” arrives next, charming right away with hazy vocal aspects and glistening guitar work, never letting up in its tranquilly spellbinding ethereality. Ascended vocal emotion in its final minute is particularly striking.
Another standout track, “Synthesis” is striking in its dynamic vocal work, moving from a spoken-word murmuring feeling to more hypnotic dreaminess, as well as its art-rock guitar maneuvers, jangling with a climactic undercurrent. The interactions between serene vocals and chugging-along guitars make for a hypnotic appeal, while EP finale “A knife” proves memorable as well, its fuzzy washes of guitars shifting to whispered vocals, soft acoustic strums, and a gorgeous final build, where wordless vocal entrancement and textural haziness collide beautifully. Yielding is a melodic, stylish achievement of an EP from first known use.
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We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
