Arc

Formation of Everything Everything

2010 is the first time we met the guys from Everything Everything, when they burst into the indie-pop scene with their debut Man Alive album. In spite of the chosen genre, the guys perform their songs trying not to do too much experiments, as they say, and just doing what they like, what they can do. Well, at least, they try. Musical genre that underlies in most of Everything Everything songs, can be described as a simple as pop. But not as simple as it seems, musicians are trying to add to the pop style something unique, something that would distinguish them from the bands that rule the roost in the music scene nowadays. According to the lead singer Jonathan Higgs, the group is not interested in copying any direction or style, but they are trying to present on the basis of already invented style something different, unusual and intriguing. Talking about the band's style, it had a great influence from such musical monsters like Nirvana, Radiohead, The Beatles, Destiny's Child, and R&B singer R. Kelly. What eventually happened? As a result we got some entwinement of genres such as synth-pop, R&B, indie rock and trip-hop, with insertions of classic rock-n-roll. For the while guys are experimenting and just starting to find their style; the group is young and have not formed yet their unique sound. Well, it is their second album called Arc.

Travel on the waves of indie-pop with Arc album

On the Arc, Everything Everything will show their character, and the first Cough Cough track from the album convinces us in that. Drumbeat here intersects with experimental vocal tricks and experimental tunes. For a beginner in this style, inexperienced first audition may seem harsh, crude and rude. But it is necessary to take into account that this is an indie style and experimentation with sound is the very highlight and is fundamental; and it is this experimentation that actually touches us in the works of Everything Everything. The drumbeat of Cough Cough is followed by a clear beat of Kemosabe track. Hot rhythms, inclusions of R&B singing and rare heavy guitar chords. The whole mix of seemingly incompatible styles that leaves an indescribable, complex, mixed feelings. A corresponding video series only contribute to deeper and full immersion into the swirling musical experimental atmosphere. Sail on. And we meet Torso of the Week, which starts with playing, exciting rhythm, which is gradually connected by the elegant melody and piercing vocals of Jonathan. The track is not finished yet but it has been already slowly and smoothly passing into the next song titled Duet, very bright and a good song, which is performed in the spirit and atmosphere of the album. This is the most enjoyable fact, the album is not divided into unconnected parts, and is listened as a complete composition with variations of texts, melodies and rhythms.

Set for the young musician

On the second disc Everything Everything tries their best to show all the strength of such genres as indie and experimental. Number of styles and the ability to handle them is striking. Yes, the album do not belong to a regular record of dance songs. Level of Arc, probably, is much deeper and atmospheric than a set of disco hits. Therefore, the listener must be careful. Album Arc is a collection of essays, short stories, poems, which, despite of the variety of characters and plots, are united by the spirit and atmosphere. The transitions between tracks are performed masterfully. Sometimes it is just hard to tell where one track ends and another begins. The album turned out to be like a seamless, monolithic sculpture, a work of four masters, but which still looks like the creation of one man. And in terms of commitment to the style one can say with all the certainty - the guys addicted to their music, they get edged from it, and that is why it does not matter to them where the musical mainstream wind is blowing. This is, probably, the quintessence of the independent direction. Where you can violate accepted and approved by most people musical standards and set vocal experiments that past all understanding. This is a way, and under the accompaniment of various musical styles and instruments, along these 13 tracks, from the Cough Cough song up to the space Don't Try track, the ultrasonic, high-pitched and expressive vocals of Jonathan Higgs lead us through the confused, independent and experimental tracks of Arc album.