A Stranger In Moscows “progressive lounge
indie” is perfectly showcased in their E.P “Misconstructed Beats.” From the off
you get their unique sound which is encompassed in the first 8 bars. Ambient
delayed guitars, four to the floor beats locked in tight with the bass, led by
Andy Halls incredibly mature and distinct vocal making this band my favourite
unsigned act right now.
The bridge before the first chorus of title
track Misconstructed Beats builds and explodes to a vocal melody you won’t
forget in a long long while. Their wall of sound approach to song writing still
manages to leave perfect space for every orchestration, everything seems so
well thought out, your not force fed a mash of pointless virtual synths layered
to the high hills of Nagasaki! Instead every fine detail added has it’s place and is there for a
reason.
You get a feeling of empowerment as Andy
screams the melody “I’ll say goodbye and face the world” and as the second
chorus ends you see their progressive side, which rolls nicely into a kick ass
solo where note choice was of the utmost importance. We’ve all heard pointless
noodling and let’s be honest there’s nothing more annoying! Guitarist Luke
makes every note count and his minimalist approach verging on Mike Einziger
territory is more than easy on the ear.
Track two titled “view” begins with a low
fi trip hop beat, which layer upon layer builds until a solo guitar riff rips
into the pre chorus, seamlessly breaking into yet another memorable sing along
vocal driven chorus.
Theres a wicked progressive volume swell
breakdown, which is In a league of its own for originality. Cymbals are added
to the fold to create the crescendo into an instrumental electro end section
that Vex Red would have been proud of!
The last track “Drift” does exactly that,
but, with a slightly dissonant and haunting energy, it’s like a scary Lullaby
that makes you slightly uneasy in a good unpredictable way. The chorus is a
beautifully crafted piece of music showcasing some elegant tickling of the
ivories (or piano keys as they are more widely recognized as!) Which all in all
rounds this E.P off perfectly.
I strongly urge that you buy this E.P if
you’re into progressive enigmatic indie, you certainly won’t be disappointed.
5/5