Organic and beautiful, Josh Taffel debut in the indie music world is a marvellous EP about the fragility of ego and selflessness. And we all should listen to Shimmer like food for though. But also because these are 4 gorgeous tracks. Josh is known for touring as a band member of our already long-time favourites To Kill A King. And knowing that after we fall in love with his EP just makes everything feel like a full beautiful circle.
First things first, Shimmer, the song that gives the title to the EP, sounds smooth and engaging because it’s the first time we are introduced to Josh unique vocals. Mixing some kind of magic whispering with well-build melodies, everything sounds so easy to listen in the track. 2 minutes and a half that start off with some smart drum sounds and the vocal layers spreading in the top of a simple but catchy sonority. The bass elements that are also very noticeable give the track a very whole sonority. Clever and beautiful, and hard to describe in terms of genre, it truly makes us shimmer a bit.
The second track, Love, Yes I Know It Was, is a bit more into a Mac DeMarco vibe without shifting too much from Shimmer. And that’s one of the best takeaways from the whole EP – the way Taffel delivers distinct tracks that only in its background represent the same type of sound. They are similar, but not too much, giving that little edge of discovery into every single track. More spaced in terms of vocals and with a bigger instrumental progression, this one “represents the lack of stability within the confinements of love”. It is relaxed, perhaps a bit ironic in that sense when taking into consideration what it is all about, but so good that it is that way, because we all need to chill and listen to it. It’s very cathartic.
Protect Yourself is the name of the third song of the EP. A bit more folk than any of the other tracks, and with vocals that once again surprise us in terms of quality. The amount of reach in Taffel voice are once again noticeable in this. More tragic in terms of sonority, and with several more experimental elements in the back, everything sounds sort of exotic without sounding less gorgeous and serious. And once you listen to it, you’ll find yourself wanting to sing along the chorus.
No Cure is the last track of the EP, and somehow manages to mix the ambiance of the other 3 all together. The drops with the guitar and the vocals is just crazy good and makes want to stay around for what’s next in the track. And what’s next is a track that finds a formula to deliver the lyrical message in a very strong manner. The chorus repeats the guitar variations and culminate with a big vocal melody until everything almost turns quiet. Then the song gets back up again with a ridiculously groovy drum that soon makes a best friend in the guitar. Probably the most creative track in the EP, it is perhaps our favourite due to the amount of novelty in it.
The EP was wrote, performed, recorded and mixed in his kitchen during lockdown. And we can’t state enough how good all of it is. We will listen to this, many, many times.