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Basement

Colourmeinkindness

Written by: PP on 16/11/2012 21:47:29

It's funny how it works. Two completely independent bands most likely not aware of each other, writing albums simultaneously that come out sounding largely the same way. Is it shared influences that shaped their sound, or a shared sense of despair at the world around them, or perhaps an aligned social context? Whatever the reason, we should be happy that "Colourmeinkindness" came out the way it did. It's a completely different beast from last year's "I Wish I Could Stay Here", yet it again mirrors a similar evolution as Title Fight did from their previous album to "Floral Green". It's intriguing, because the same thing happened with their debut album, even though both bands sounded completely different back then.

So where the band previously sourced much of their sound from a sharp mixture of emotional hardcore and punk, they've now moved into a more progressive direction, seamlessly fusing together ideas from post-hardcore, melodic hardcore, and progressive punk rock into a sound that's not easily defined nor pigeonholed. "Colourmeinkindness" is a grower album just like "Floral Green", one that hides layered levels of depth underneath its simple surface of emotional croons, raw guitars and contemplative soundscapes. It sounds extremely much like "Floral Green", but at the same time it doesn't, because it's a softer and cleaner sound versus the dirty screaming and the heavier sound of Title Fight's equivalent. What I'm getting at here is that the mood and the atmosphere of both records is incredibly similar, so much so that taking a song like "Bad Apple" from this one and placing it on "Floral Green" wouldn't feel out-of-place at all. It's weird, because in reality the two records don't really sound all that similar when dissected individually into an instrumental style and the vocals. For instance, Basement here opt for a smoother and more introverted clean vocal style instead of a scream, and the songs in general are often played at a deliberately slow tempo to give them room to properly breath and expand. Not that the soundscape is large by any means, but just spacious enough to allow for the guitars to linger a little bit and the vocals to float effortlessly in the middle, all-encompassing the soundscape with their depth.

It almost feels progressive, but I use that word with hesitation because it often carries a negative connotation and is associated with lengthy songs that go nowhere. That's not the case here. Most songs clock in under three minutes, yet feel progressive because of the way they have been arranged, and because of the level of depth embedded within the songs. Only repeated listens will begin to open the songs that are not instantly catchy, but will reward the listener with unforgettable layers of melodies once they do. It's a shame the band has gone on hiatus even before releasing this record, because they were slowly but surely evolving towards a cult band in the scene.

Download: Covet, Bad Apple,
For the fans of: Title Fight, Balance & Composure
Listen: Facebook

Release date 23.10.2012
Run For Cover Records