Review: Broken Quote - Foreshadowing Sunlight EP

Music represents many things to many people. For some, it’s a source of fun and partying. For others, music serves to fill in the gaps, pushing back the silence. For rising artist Broken Quote, music has been a lifesaver.

The Houston, Texas native took to music early on, taking to songwriting even before he could read a note or play an instrument, offering him a way to relate to and process the world around him.

“Music opened up a part of me I didn’t even know was there,” the artist shares. “It taught me lessons, comforted me, scared me, challenged me and brought focus to my life, helping me grow as a person. Writing music is how I process my experience."

He soon took to taking up instrument after instrument, learning to play by ear but it was when the artist was diagnosed with a chronic pain condition that threatened to sideline his musical journey. Yet, the artist dug deep and persevered and continued to expand his horizons, learning guitar, piano, synthesizer, sampling, and even steel drums while taking in the influential sounds of artists like Eyedea, Bjork, Radiohead, and Parliament Funkadelic, setting the stage for a diverse musical platform.

That’s a platform that Broken Quote puts to good use on his latest EP, Foreshadowing Sunlight. Here the artist taps into his pain alongside his inspiration and the result is something very dramatic. Playing like an ambient film study soundtrack, Foreshadowing Sunlight presents five experimental tracks that showcase a dark, moody soundscape that seems to resonate from the artist’s daily pain.

“Ghost Train” leads the EP off, programmed beats and an ethereal electronic filter laying the groundwork for gently sung vocals, the occasional twinges of sound that appear providing a sense of mystery along the way. Ambient sounds open “Late Night Ocean,” the slight distortion lending itself to thoughts of being underwater before being joined by some ambling percussion and the surprise sound of steel drums which tap out a bright rhythm that is juxtaposed against the music’s darker landscape.

Broken Quote taps into his piano skills for “Glass Ceiling,” opening with a restless note that merges into a dissonant backbeat and a trippy explosion of sound. Restless and energetic, the song threatens to come into form as something more conventional but then blasts out again into an experimental vibe complete with distorted electric guitar trilling its way through the track. Those elements subside a bit and the steel drums return on “Sparks Water the Seeds,” the artist continuing to show a unique ability with the instrument as he coaxes some compelling rhythms from them while album closer “Mispronounce” is the album’s most conventional track. Here, Broken Quote revisits his earlier lyric, singing around a subtle acoustic guitar embellished by some simple electrical elements that lend it a dreamy quality while his voice, honest and weary, gives it grounding.

Broken Quote’s life has been one of perseverance and hardship and that reflects in his music, especially here on Foreshadowing Sunlight. Yet, despite the darker tones of the artist’s sounds, there is beauty to be found here in the truth and authenticity through which it is delivered. Not an easy listen and definitely not Top 40 material but for those willing to explore and experiment, much like the artist himself, there is plenty good to be found here.

Review: Slack Armada - Slack Armada

So oftentimes the story of an artist’s journey is fraught with pain and suffering. They’ve found themselves at the bottom and, needing an outlet to express their deep emotions, they turn to music and create stirring works that move the soul.

And then there’s James Hrabak of Slack Armada.

For fifteen years, Hrabak didn’t play any music, content with his life of domesticity, happy in a fulfilling job and at home. Yet, the chance mail delivery of a music instruments catalog would change the rising artist’s perspective and he found his creative spirit reawakened.

“There was an aligning of the planets,” the Chicago-based composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist says with a chuckle. “My personal life was becoming less hectic and I had time to dedicate to music, so I looked into recording software and pulled the guitar out of the closet to see what I could do.”

The result is the four song, self-titled debut from Slack Armada, an instrumental collection that recalls acts like Four Tet, Mogwai, and Boards of Canada while seeing Hrabak infuse his own creative juices into the process. It’s something of a cinematic experience once you get into it and the artist wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Not using vocals wasn’t a conscious decision at the beginning,” Hrabak explains. “As I was building up the tracks, I thought ‘Maybe I can make the music speak to somebody without that additional guide of a human voice.’ I wanted to let the listener be transported with fewer guideposts.”

By and large, it’s an experiment that works.

Hrabak gets things started with the tightly programmed beats and synth fills of “Rebirth.” It’s a slightly ethereal and ambient track initially, the thrumming beats the only real texture against subtle keyboards but garners some much needed emotion when crunchy electric guitars close in later on. The track pauses for just a moment and there is a moment of rebirth, so to speak, as the sound transforms, a new beat holding sway as airy synth again swells through the arrangement.

“Your Majesty” delivers a little more emotion to the proceedings right from the get-go, multilayered sonic textures melding together and creating a sense of suspense and intrigue, the swirling keyboards stepping forth although Hrabak’s synth fills seem a little out of place here until bright bell tones enter the fray and serve as a connecting point, moving the track from intrigue to a sense of wonder. It’s not for long though as the track ebbs and flows between the two emotions before “Looper” steps in with its raucous tones. More crunchy guitar and heavy, pounding drums give the album a rocking lift, the relentless press Hrabak’s composition only lightening toward the end, the guitars giving way to electronic distortion.

"Escape Velocity” closes things out and, as one might expect from the title, is another action-packed track. Throbbing, pulsing electronic beats open things up before more conventional percussion joins in, the sound building and pressing in upon the listener’s ears, guitars eventually finding their way into the mix to provide the melody line, rich and inviting before abruptly coming to a complete close.

James Hrabak’s debut, Slack Armada, is a compelling piece of work for fans of more cerebral and ambient soundtracks. Blending elements of electronica together with dramatic flair, he has crafted four compelling songs that, while perhaps not set to appeal to the masses, will definitely provide enjoyment for those willing to listen. And with the promise of a vocal project coming as well, the future is bright for this rising star.