A slappin’ funk-walk through all your latest feels.
Is this indie? Funky synth-soul? How about, fuck genres. If we want to do a useless comparison, I’d say Jachary has moments that sound like Whitney, and others that sound like Taylor McFerrin. So obviously I had to review this no matter what it is.
Let’s start by confirming that this album has all four of the Hallmarks of Highly-Loved Musical Projects (patent pending):
- extra-tight vocal harmonies
- deep groove in the bass
- nasty drums recorded on 8-track
- electronical and saxophonical moodiness
The first track sets down the super warm tone and low end grooves that carry through the whole album. And you know it’s gonna bop when ‘Raincheck’ comes on; it’s a great standalone track if you have to pick just one. ‘Dreamin’ is a warp interlude to the hyper-gooey ‘Pet Piranha.’ Then we go underwater for ‘Slimey Bourgeoisie,’ before the undeniably beautiful rising and falling of ‘I Won’t Listen.’
‘I Won’t Listen’ starts stripped down – just guitar and vocal melodies. Through the course of the song there’s highly-charged intermittent crashes, tasteful bass tones, sticky and wobbly synths, then more of the raw style and energy from the opening. Vocal clarity and purpose is big for me on this whole album and it really shines in that track.
Besides just sounding like a honey-coated dream I had once, this album elicits and complements all the feels I’m living in right now. I’m not sure if it’s just my super-emo life stage right now, but ‘Loops of Life’ (and the whole album) really capture some shit.
” The only thing that I know is I know it’s right, And a hole in your soul is natural”
‘Loops of Life’ – Jachary
Seems to me like lots of indie bands right now are going for this sound. But it takes real experience and heaps of effort to build a proper funk feel, and most have been missing the mark for me. Parts get thrown in because they sound cool, not because they’re essential to the project. To me, Jachary uses his composition and multi-instrumental skills to build and furnish a whole room of sound. For me it’s an entire extra-cozy 70’s-era penthouse that I’d love to just live in forever.
P.S. ‘Silver Lake,’ the album closer, will 10/10 be the soundtrack to my first day joining a commune. Whenever that happens. But until then…
Give it a listen (or three):
Released July 19, 2019
Lazy Plays 
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