Words: Brandon Hughes
After completing nearly thirty songs, dance rock duo Whitsett unveiled their new EP titled Slow Motion. The band’s fourth release features only four of the massive list of tracks that came into fruition during the EPs creation.
What I first noticed about the EP is the album art that combines elements reminiscent of a Saved by the Bell cut scene, combined with an Instagram filter. Ironically that is a fitting metaphor for the band’s sound, which is both nostalgic and hip simultaneously (are Instagram filters still hip?) The opening track, ‘Steady, Close’ feels like a classic eighties jam. Dynamic synths remnant of Van Halen’s ‘Jump’ over driving bass lines that I would expect from a Duran Duran song combine perfectly with the powerpop-esque vocals to make ‘Steady, Close’ sound like a bonus cut from a John Hughes movie soundtrack.
Things shift with the record’s standout track ‘Rattle’ that opens with a tropical melody that made me wonder if I had accidentally queued a Kygo song on my playlist. The emotional vocal performance is packaged in an accessible, synth-pop package that make it an easy listen for a song that is a little more intense lyrically than its peers in the track listing. The song finishes in an ambient manner with reverb-y acoustic drums and a drop chorus that brings the whole song together.The warmth of this track transports the listener to a place that feels like where the photo for the album was taken, something that we all might need heading into the winter.
Listeners may be surprised to find that Whitsett’s recent single ‘Ohio’ (embedded below for your enjoyment) was not included in the EP despite having similar branding. At first I was disappointed by the exclusion of the song, however after listening to it in sequence with the EP, it would have felt out of place with the dreamy dance tunes that comprise Slow Motion.
The EP feels lacking only in the area of length. Each song surpasses the one prior engaging the listener more and more into the record, only to leave you hanging wondering what is next after the fourth and final song. If Slow Motion was the appetizer, it’s safe to say that we are ready for the entree.
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