Metamusic - World To Come EP

Metamusic’s ‘World to Come’ has become my ‘GO-TO’ album at work to get into a productive groove.

Sometimes, actually most times, I can’t get started on work, and I turn on my music as a diversion or to get some inspiration. If the music’s not right, it’s hard to get in that productive, ‘get shit done’, effortless FLOW state. Metamusic’s blend of downtempo and alternative progressive music seems to be written for people just like me.

I needed a little help with describing them, so I turned to the band’s bio page (SSD Records site). Metamusic themselves say that if you are a fan of Massive Attack, Radiohead, and Trip Hop you will like them. They never describe themselves or their music though; they want us to figure them out on our own.The band also says that fans of The Verve and Team Sleep (Chino Moreno of Deftones side gig) will dig ‘World to Come’. While I am not very familiar with The Verve, I am a huge fan of Deftones and Team Sleep and I concur, as a fan, that Metamusic is definitely compatible stylistically. I would add that fans of Mew, Doves, Firehose, Minutemen, Mogwai, Errors and Echo and the Bunnymen might like Metamusic.

Each of the songs on ‘World to Come’ has vocals, so while these guys could easily be fully instrumental, the vocals fit and complement the music. The vocals remind me of Radiohead a bit, and also of 1990’s band, dada, mostly because of some multi-part vocal harmonies. The vocals aren’t totally polished, but they’re definitely listenable, and I think that the musicianship of the whole band more than makes up for any imperfections.

One thing I liked immediately was that the drummer on this EP, whoever he is, seems to have some major Jazz Chops. Maybe I am wrong, but it seems like more than once the drummer goes on Gene Krupa-style, minimalist cymbal and edge-of-drumhead sessions that I find really cool. Combine the drums/bass rhythms with clever sampling and D Boone (Minutemen) funk-strum guitar, and I can’t help but smile and enjoy this EP.

My rating: I like Metamusic. I like that they play cool, original music that I can really groove to. I LOVE that they are unique, and that they can incorporate a lot of the best elements of several genres into their songs. I hope they make more of the same soon and for a long time to come.

To close, here’s a quote about Metamusic from Irish instrumentalists And So I Watch You From Afar: ‘Fresh as Fuck, not a hint of imitation.’

Agreed, seconded and wholeheartedly recommended.

Released April 04 on Super Star Destroyer

Posted by Jake on May 19, 2011