harper – Breach
Detroit, Michigan bestows upon us a rather interesting musical entity in harper, who, for the better part of three years, crafted their unique sonic signature for their debut album, Breach. Full of self-proclaimed melancholic fuzz and chamber instrumentation like pipe organ and harp, this stellar release was recorded, mixed, and produced by Nick West, the protégé of one of Nine Inch Nails’ founders, Chris Vrenna.
We start off with the title track, “Breach,” and are immediately soaring amongst cumulus clouds with stunning organ and massive guitar as our wings. The percussion bounces back and forth between the ears playfully, and the vocals are just as gentle as the clouds you’re flying through. The mysterious lyrics seem to tell of loving someone who hates themselves too much to do what’s best for them.
Song four, “Anymore,” has light acoustic guitar and an overdriven electric guitar that serve as warmth from the hearth. Despite the constant distortion, the effect of it is, though haunting, somewhat comforting. West demonstrates his vocal range with a pretty falsetto, eventually empathetically singing, “Your eyes speak more than / You ever have to say.”
Track eight is “Hoover,” which is very reminiscent of The Smashing Pumpkins and The Cranberries circa the 1990s. The song starts off with a huge presence before dramatically quieting into a pool of lower viscosity. Overall, “Hoover” definitely prompts some headbanging. There is a quick shrieking of a pull-off guitar lead, and the interspersed triplet-feel instrumentations stave off monotony.
All in all, harper’s Breach is a successful attempt at individuality regarding specific sound choices as well as wise songwriting and thought-provoking lyricism. Breach is FFO Alcest, My Bloody Valentine, and Slowdive. Get lost in the dense, beautiful fog that is Breach by listening on Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp.
Categorised in: Album Reviews
This post was written by Jake Sessanna