EP Review: "Absentee" by Violents

Hey guys!

I love the blogosphere! 

It is such a privilege to have the internet which allows us to express ourselves, to connect with people around the world and to discover new things.

There's no better feeling as a (music) blogger, than being told people found their new favourite act/band through you.

I feel honoured to reach quite a few people with this blog so I'm being told the above quite often.

Of course I also read blogs and do have favourites, one of them is A Beautiful Mess.

Through this amazing blog I found out about Violents, the music project of the day.

Here's my review of their newest release.

Band: Violents

Title: Absentee

Genre: Alternative

 Label: independent

Release: 5th May 2015

HITS rating: 8/10

Violents is a music project by Jeremy Larson from Springfield, Missouri, USA.

It is a series of collaborative EPs which are written and produced by Jeremy.

Each EP features a female vocalist. The first two releases in 2014 featured singer/songwriter Annie Williams. The next release featured Olga Yagolnikov, and Violents' newest EP "Absentee" stars Stacy King from Sucré.

More EPs and a double vinyl collection of the first seven releases are going to follow this year.

But before that happens, let's speak about "Absentee". 

Tracklist:

1) Absentee

2) Northeast

3) All I Have

4) Where We Are Now

Opener and title track "Absentee" welcomes you with an atmospheric intro consisting of only Stacy's vocals and single beats. The song soon builds up into a fully arranged track.

The intro gives you a good idea of what to expect vocally; beautiful, smooth and calming vocals engulf you. Paired with the very lively and expressive instrumentals you'll feel wrapped up in a blanket.

It is one of those song which offer a lot, yet you could describe them as minimalistic. 

A song which is very lively and rich in elements, yet it still gives you enough air to breathe.

For "All I Have" writer and producer Jeremy took away all of the beats and slowed down the tempo. The focus is on the string arragements which walk hand in hand with Stacy's vocals. This song sets a fairy-like and slightly fragile scene and invites you to let you thoughts wander.

To sum it up: "Absentee" definitely showcases what thoughtful and clever writer and producer Jeremy Larson is. The choice of female artists just confirms it even more; Stacy King gave the EP a very personal touch. The two musicians created an EP with so many elements which made it vary from calm to mysterious to uplifting. Very impressive!

You should listen to these tracks: Absentee, Where We Are Now

 

Violents online: Website | Twitter | Soundcloud | Instagram

 Thank you for reading! 

Credits // Text: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image: Violents, Elsie Larson