Humans

The Feels

BY Ashley HampsonPublished Jan 23, 2018

5
Vancouver's Humans have been making minimal, expressive synth bangers for the better part of a decade, and their latest EP, The Feels, follows the same path. While the duo are known for their progressive, sparse beats that have often erred on the upbeat, The Feels pushes a darker, hypnotic aesthetic to guide this release.
 
The title track pushes off with an ominous, low buzzing drone that sets the tone. Its heady low end culminates in a rising siren that eventually pulls ahead of the fog that envelops the track. Following closely is "Sip It," a remarkably similar track. While the tracks are quite static in their evolution, "Sip It" does moderately beef up its closing; the percussive hits hold some reverb, accentuating the pound of bass drum.
 
"Boys and Girls" is perhaps the most nuanced on the four-track EP, its loping synth wheeling from muffled to crisp while Robbie Slade's vocals rise from croon to wail. While the tracks on their own make an impression, the EP in its entirety feels lacking in distinction, making it far too easy to glaze right over it.
(Haven Sounds)

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