Brother and sister duo The Holy Roman Army bring their atmospheric rhythm induced sound to new heights in their latest 8 track EP. An eclectic array sounds, samples, synths and vocals are brought together to create a fresh sounding EP which brings together snippets of many genres from hip-hop to post rock to jazz and classical. The end product is an aural delight.
Lazerians opens with the track Perfect Beginning – an aptly titled opener. Quirky rhythmic patterns greet your ears. Synths and a male vocal are then heard before a delicate female vocal lifts the track with a sweet melody. The song continues to build with more instrumentation added before hitting its climax. The next track Electricity follows a similar vein with the female vocal taking the lead with samples, heavy synths and even a bit of glockenspiel and horns also making an appearance. It’s airy but pleasant atmosphere is reminiscent of songs from the likes of Asobi Seksu.
Another stand out track is Give Up, a song of haunting beauty. It opens with a small piece of spoken word with delicately plucked strings in the background. A droning voice is then introduced which continues for the rest of the track. The rhythmic section, a defining trait of the EP, changes the atmosphere and pace completely and helps develop the track along with the other instrumentation. This creates a thrilling atmosphere before stripping back towards the end which mirrors the beginning.
This EP has so much variety and dept that even the casual music fan is bound to take something from it. Fans of ambient or electronic music are going to be right at home on this record but fans of indie and alternative may also find something to enjoy. Each track brings something new to the table which makes for an exciting listen from start to finish. My only gripe is that sometimes a track may seem unfinished or its ideas not fully expressed but considering this EP is primarily material from their album recording sessions, it’s understandable.
With their album out next year these are exciting times for The Holy Roman Army. You can get a copy of Lazerians on their bandcamp page for a “Pay what you want” price tag. Absolutely can’t go wrong.