Hi, everyones. Izzy's going to write another awesome little review! Send music shit and anything else you want to [ fosterhildingmusic@gmail.com ] or DM me on Instagram.
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| photos stolen from band's Instagram. |
It was a Thursday night like any other--one of my days off from my day job as a 911 operator which mostly consisted of lamenting over my impending assignment deadlines for online college. I’m not even going to lie, that is not a sentence I'd imagined myself writing at 22 years old (I had imagined something along the lines of University or, in an ideal reality for 7 year old me, being a literal movie star). Alas, here I was, phone in hand, when I received an odd, yet alluring text message. An Ian Welsh popped up in my messenger inbox asking if I’d be interested in doing vocals for a local band.
Me? Vocals? Are you kidding? Is that not precisely what I had moved 1062 miles away from home for? At this rate, I was fully starting to believe a reality in which I pursued music would never come. Somehow I’d get wrapped up in police work and die on the clock--headset still plugged in, dial tones beeping away, until the phone line ceases along with all my hopes and dreams. Suffice to say I was intrigued, even more so when I was introduced to an already released EP from June of this year.
What followed was an eclectic, quirky and vibrant indie rock experience. I thoroughly enjoyed this album, its semi-experimental range, and everything it had to offer sonically. Here is my review for Bicycles After Midnight's debut release: Rippled Light.
Rippled Light. A wild ride for an intro! We have some elements of pop, ska, and even flamenco? The vocal range in this song is also very prevalent, with the chorus upbeat and energetic, slowing down to Billie Eilish-reminiscent during an orchestral break, and picking back up afterwards in Spanish. The guitar at the end adds an incredibly fun flare as the vocals seem to dance and play around almost interactively.
Aroused is hyper-fem to its core. We have a Marina and the Diamonds sort of vibe going on here with Leslie’s vocals, and a sort of sparkly piano playing in the background during the chorus. Interestingly, after the guitar solo, we also have what I affectionately referred to as a TOTO moment, with a funky bass part creating a break from the faster paced elements of the song.
Priority. I am specifically reminded of Sleep Walkin' by Modest Mouse, and I think it has to do with the tone of the guitar alongside some melancholy and soft vocals. The lyrical content of this song struck a chord with me, and made it instantly one of my favorites. The background vocals add a fun indie flare to an otherwise slow and sad song, and the harmonies at the end are *chef’s kiss*! I loved the guitar and the drums in this track as well. Seemingly so simple, yet came together perfectly.
Siren Eyes quickly became my favorite track on this EP. The acoustic guitar in the back has a sort of country flare to it--met with an indie toned electric alongside some western vibrato in the vox. The sparkly synth makes a return! The bassline that can be found in the last chorus calms things down and then we are met with the sound of a gunshot (again, bringing us back to this underlying western theme), which catapults us into the end of the track. The vocals and harmonies are especially pretty at the end! I may have played this song too many times for the normal person.
Coming Down. Solemn and soulful, this song is relatively simple, but the lyrics hit me harder than any other track on this EP. “I was watching TV, saw a plane go down / kind of felt like me somehow and maybe it’s the way you turn the clouds.” WHEW okay! The lyrics can speak either to those who come from toxic households or who struggle with depression, and provides imagery such as feeling trapped within the walls of themselves.
Dreamhouse. This track starts out creating an outdoor environment as you hear the crackling of a campfire and birds chirping in the background. I was quickly drawn to this track--it seems the vox go hardest and loudest in this one, alongside the rock drums and guitar which mirrors heavier music I enjoy. I can appreciate the orchestral moment towards the end, and you can most definitely tell Ian has a background in metal from the twin guitar harmonies. The ending to this song and the EP, itself, is very eerie and ethereal. It left me wanting more!
As you may be able to tell from this post, Leslie’s vocals were anything but typical. She is incredibly talented, and the songs composed seemed to be a perfect match for her range. She could go from singing Marina and the Diamonds-reminiscent indie pop, to toned down, rich, soulful lyrics, and even sing in Spanish! I was a bit perplexed when preparing for my audition, as everything I had heard was incredibly promising, with no signs of any bad falling out to be seen.
What I had later learned is that this EP’s lyrical composition and melody was formed by another beautiful soul, who is sadly no longer with us today. Desiree Rodriguez wrote and demoed these songs alongside Ian and Tyler, pouring her heart and soul into the creation of each. Rather than scrap the album, which contained heartfelt poeticism and hours of work from everyone involved, Bicycles After Midnight decided to fulfill their original creative aspiration and release their music into the world. Their decision to see the EP through to the end, I can only imagine was a tough one. With that in mind, as a fan of this EP personally, I am grateful to be able to appreciate its artful lyricism even after its creator is gone.
Leslie undertook a big responsibility in singing for this project, and she did it with absolute grace and elegance. Her decision to step away from the band after its release is respected, and I truly am excited to see if she decides to put out any solo projects. However, regardless of whether she continues to pursue music, this album has left an integral footprint that will continue to resonate in the hearts of its listeners as time moves on. This is one of those projects that’s uniqueness alone makes a statement, and I am truly very happy it exists.
Oh, you’re still wondering if I got the part?
8/10
Stream Rippled Light.
-Izzy
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