Known outside of his musical endeavours as Rich Ferrara, an artist also involved in many other bands and groups within the music scene, his work on the new EP ‘Astray’ is impeccable, and demonstrates such a great understanding of the inner workings of music, and how to command it well truly.
On this new EP are three tracks: ‘Infinite Divide’, ‘All the Love’ and ‘Astray’, each constructed of similar foundations to create beautifully individual songs. The first follows a jaunty, buoyant rhythm acting as an undercurrent for the whole track. These first four beats, strums on the guitar, are accompanied by a steady but intricate drumming that presents itself in various forms throughout the track. It’s a sound that is broken and rebuilt in such interesting ways and brings the whole song together. As it progresses, the lyrics “I’m trying to escape” are sung with this mellow tone, a slow tempo and strung-out vocals that capture the emotional baggage inherent in such a phrase. Then, as it reaches its conclusion, the track’s upbeat sound transforms into a more stable, relaxed one that brings listeners back down to earth and provides the perfect pathway into their next track ‘Astray’.
This second song proves similar, but instead takes a more soulful approach. Its first lyrical interlude begins with “I feel another moment coming on” an exceptionally meta-musical way to open a track like this; it introduces us to itself in a way that enables thought beyond the scope of simply what is in front of us. It asks to be felt as a song and a conversation simultaneously, something only made more clear with its progression. There’s a somewhat paradoxical feel-good energy the whole way through, and a clear command of each instrument as its own word, its own phrase that is never overshadowed by another. The ending is extremely powerful. A guitar solo that leads us out into the final song of the EP, a solo that dips between notes and tempos like there’s no tomorrow.
The last track, ‘All the Love’ is perhaps the most different of the three. It has a slower tempo from the beginning, and its timbre behaves in a much more melodic, careful manner. As the longest of the three, there’s ample opportunity for harmony between lyrics and instruments to develop, something that is most certainly exhibited. It finds a balance between the leisurely, moderate approach indie music often utilises and the lively, expressive atmosphere we have seen so wonderfully thus far in the EP. Sporadically, each element has its moment to shine, and Constant Reverie strikes a chord of genius with this one.
Overall, the new EP is phenomenal at positioning itself between a space of power and mellow. It works with music in such interesting and surprising ways to produce great and brilliant sounds like no other.
Abby Tapping
Image: ‘Astray’ Official EP Cover
