Japanincolor is the solo project from Hundred Plus Club bassist Rafi Bloomberg. Daydreams is a simple, four-song EP that finds the multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist Bloomberg flexing his songwriter muscles via interesting collaborations with other Buffalo-based musicians.
Intro track “The Theme” is a piano composition by Zekeriya Spoth. Bloomberg seems to revel in collaborations with other artists, using his own knowledge of music theory and musicianship to bolster their contributions. “The Theme” is short but sweet, a beautiful way to start this EP.
Song two is “High Shelf,” which features vocals from Carmen & Lizzy’s Carmen O’Keefe. This might be the stand out track on the EP – O’Keefe’s vocals ride perfectly atop Bloomberg’s instrumentals, fleshed out tastefully with lush harmonies, jangly guitars, and a simple guitar solo. If you’ve ever seen Bloomberg perform live, you know how insanely talented he is… The simplicity of Daydreams points to how reserved he can be, resisting the temptation to fill these songs with otherwise distracting licks and flourishes.
Another album highlight is “Always” – this time sung by his HPC bandmate Zain Shirazi. If you’re expecting another Hundred Plus club song, you’re out of luck – “Always” is an emo-tinged alternative rock song (a departure from HPC’s calculated post-punk). Shirazi’s timbre is uniquely tasteful as he rips through catchy vocal melodies with ease (added bonus: this one comes with a surprising, Foo Fighters-esque bridge before finishing up at a succinct 2:50). Another equally catchy Shirazi collab, “Clouds,” wraps things up – a unique, baroque take on indie pop. Full of a catchy acoustic guitar lead, sleigh bells, and strings, this one really pops when the drums come in right around the one minute mark.
All in all, Daydreams is a promising debut from a truly underrated Buffalo musician. Daydreams is available now via Bandcamp – check it out below.