Dawnshape

Sparse Prism EP

Written by: PP on 04/12/2010 04:29:59

Many have tried to copy Incubus in the past, few have been succesful in emulating their sound appropriately. Such is the fortunate fate of bands who are genuinely experimentalist in their nature, bands that stretch the imaginable on every one of their releases to keep their competitors behind. Dawnshape, a french experimental alternative rock band, come pretty close on a couple of tracks found on their EP "Sparse Prism", but like the rest of the crew, they fall sorely behind of the masters in every aspect.

However, given the near-legendary status of Incubus when it comes to artistic ambition, this is nothing to be ashamed of. Dawnshape's vocalist pulls of an excellent Brandon Boyd-inspired clean vocal croon that's not afraid to explore every realm of his clean range in an experimental manner. The guitar/drum interaction relies on a similar implicit agreement as on "A Crow Left Of The Murder", both allowed to explore, invent, and create freely, as long as it flows nicely together. This could be a recipe for disaster, but Dawnshape pull it off nearly as well as Incubus, creating noisy, enriched soundscapes that reward the listener for paying attention. There's a lot of ambiance in the mix on purpose, to avoid empty, echoing spaces, instead filling them with thick layers of sound all around, defining "Sparse Prism" as essentially an experimentalist music fan's album more than anything else. You see, before Incubus became famous, they established a core fan base through some straight-forward, though still unique alternative rock hits, whereas Dawnshape jump right in at just about the "A Crow Left Of The Murder Era".

Now, this is something a scribe like me can definitely appreciate, but can the general public do the same? My opinion is no, but for now that's all the better as it allows Dawnshape to further fine-tune and develop their sound. For now, it's okay to sound most like Incubus than any other band I've ever ran across, but in the future a more distinct, signature sound needs to be developed before they'll move out of the basement/tiny venue stage. Not bad though.

Download: Bearded Dude Simulacre, Is It Boiling?
For the fans of: Incubus, Lava Engine, Twenty30
Listen: Myspace

Release date ??.??.2010
Self-Released

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