As we mentioned a few weeks back, Ontario’s Dark Mean are back with a new EP, and we’re glad to report that the bright start that was ‘Albatross’ is far from the only good track on show.
The preview email we had from the band was an interesting one, with them straight-up admitting that they aren’t looking for a label or record deal, and don’t even plan to have a release show for the EP. Instead, they describe their music as a ‘simple passion’: ’We write music, jam in the garage, and make records with friend and producer, Michael Keire’.
With this in mind, an unenlightened person (with no knowledge of DM or Mr Keire’s talents) might expect the sound to possess a certain… homemade quality. This could not be further from the truth. The band may lack the desire to push their music into money-making realms, but this does not mean they lack ambition in the musical department.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/119655222″]
In a world of neo-classical ambient pop and new weird psych-folk, Samuel the Phoenix is a refreshingly straight-forward slice of indie rock, and it comes back to the ‘simple passion’ statement – you get the impression that these guys are doing what they enjoy. The shuffling drums and infectious melodies are peppered with some well placed horns and delicate piano to create something both emotionally charged and uplifting.
You can buy Samuel The Phoenix from Bandcamp for the very reasonable price of $4. Also, if you haven’t yet heard the band’s older material then do yourself a favour.