Isbells

Isbells – Sosei (2019)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 52:54 minutes | 304 MB | Genre: Indie Folk, Singer-Songwriter
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Zealrecords

On the new ‘Sosei’ there is one song with only voice, guitar, and here and there a backing: the rudimentary ‘Tired’. The rest of the record is from the New Isbells World, and that world sounds pretty excited. Opener ‘Means to an End’ has a lot of what makes The War On Drugs dragging and compelling. The up-tempo beat of ‘The Utmost Way’ even comes close to the Future Islands hopper. ‘The Philosopher’ starts with the kind of jazz with which the series ‘Homeland’ started. Vandewoudes high, soft, sometimes slightly distorted vocals are supplemented in many places with low synths or a deep blower. Title track ‘Sosei’, named after a Buddhist poet, is quiet, but has a festive synthwending. ‘2 Words’ is full of kalimba.

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