Anderson .Paak Makes A Statement In "Oxnard"
/
Anderson .Paak paints a picture of our wild society in his new album Oxnard.
Read More
Aretha Franklin Inspired and Empowered In "Lady Soul"
/
Aretha Franklin showcased all of her power and ability as a musician and storyteller in her 1968 effort Lady Soul.
Read MoreFrank Sinatra Sang Through His Broken Heart In "In The Wee Small Hours"
/
Frank Sinatra’s In The Wee Small Hours is a timeless look at the age-old feeling of heartbreak.
Read MoreKamasi Washington Delivers Epic Jazz Marathon "Heaven & Earth"
/
Kamasi Washington celebrates life, the world, and everything beyond it in the two-hour journey Heaven & Earth.
Read MoreVan Morrison Captured The Romance Of The 60s In "Moondance" Perfectly
/
Van Morrison's 1970 effort Moondance captured an important part of an era, and taught us how to move forward with those memories at heart.
Read MorePaul Weller Provides A Lot Of Soul On "A Kind Revolution"
/
Paul Weller encourages us to find ourselves in his new album.
Read MoreJMSN Strips Down His Sound In "Whatever Makes U Happy"
/
JMSN embraces the roots of R&B in his new record.
Read MoreTom Waits Told The Tale Of The Ordinary Man In "Blue Valentine"
/
The 1978 classic brought the ideas of a turbulent time into the perspective of an everyday man.
Read MoreOddisee Brings The Groove In "The Iceberg"
/
The Iceberg is an example of how hip-hop can really shine.
Read MoreAnimals As Leaders - 'The Brain Dance'
/Animals As Leaders are famous for good reason. There are few people in the world who can exhibit such a mastery of their craft as Tosin Abasi, a modern guitar legend. Their new album The Madness Of Many is out November 11, and the first single from it is 'The Brain Dance'.
Their unique blend of incredible playing and djent comes to an interesting crossroads in 'The Brin Dance'. The song actually begins with an acoustic nylon guitar, plucked with mind boggling brilliance as drums and bass slowly start joining the mix. The nylon guitar eventually becomes the band's signature electric guitar, performed with a mix of slap and plucks. The song then concludes as it began, peacefully with one final chord on the acoustic and bass.
The beauty of the song is that it truly emits fascinating imagery with only instruments, and guitar and drums at that. It doesn't need heavy, djent riffs downtuned to Drop A to be impactful; in fact, it's not wrong to say the acoustic guitar performance has more of an impact than the detuned guitars would. 'The Brain Dance' invigorates the mind as it tries to follow the sweet guitars and the jazzy vibes. The aesthetic and atmosphere of the song are pure and show the band's talent isn't limited to trudging, sludgy riffs with spidery guitar above. The talent lies in the playing itself - every element of the song soars in their own delicate dance.
Animals As Leaders are a different force on the block. There's nothing quite as evocative as they are in the format in which they perform in. The beautiful playing is sometimes heavy, but when it's softer and jazzier there is not complaint. This band is full of legendary players with underappreciated talent, and their next album is bound to be a testament to that.
Rating: 85 / 100
