With two EPs under their belts over the past four years, Jaunt's All In One — the Toronto experimental pop band's first full-length — is the fruit of years of labour and it shows in the tightness and completeness of each track.
With the help of co-producer Alex Sowinski of BADBADNOTGOOD, the band are united in their ability to create so many moving parts and countermelodies while maintaining focus on one lead expression throughout each track. Jaunt's ability to replace the hegemonic idea of lead guitar with a variety of acoustic piano licks is refreshing and allows the guitars to shine in a more rhythmic role.
This move can be tricky, but Jaunt introduce subtle hooks that keep the listener up to speed with the progressions of each composition, like in second track "Nostalgia for the Present Moment," which features catchy, cutting piano melodies throughout the composition. The harsh upper register of an old piano dangles over the vocal melodies in contrast to the smoothly chorused synths that melt to fill the spaces in-between. Thomas Helliwell's vocal performances ebb and flow like that of an old-school hip-hop artist, rhythmically arranging half rhymes and assonance throughout each line.
Poetic and introspective lyrics are so rewarding to read along with each song, and promote the art of putting on music and spacing out — a feeling that works in harmony with Jaunt's relaxed sonic atmosphere.
(Independent)With the help of co-producer Alex Sowinski of BADBADNOTGOOD, the band are united in their ability to create so many moving parts and countermelodies while maintaining focus on one lead expression throughout each track. Jaunt's ability to replace the hegemonic idea of lead guitar with a variety of acoustic piano licks is refreshing and allows the guitars to shine in a more rhythmic role.
This move can be tricky, but Jaunt introduce subtle hooks that keep the listener up to speed with the progressions of each composition, like in second track "Nostalgia for the Present Moment," which features catchy, cutting piano melodies throughout the composition. The harsh upper register of an old piano dangles over the vocal melodies in contrast to the smoothly chorused synths that melt to fill the spaces in-between. Thomas Helliwell's vocal performances ebb and flow like that of an old-school hip-hop artist, rhythmically arranging half rhymes and assonance throughout each line.
Poetic and introspective lyrics are so rewarding to read along with each song, and promote the art of putting on music and spacing out — a feeling that works in harmony with Jaunt's relaxed sonic atmosphere.