KLOZAPIN
The self-titled debut album from New York based band Klozapin is an exciting and vibrant mixture of genre, sound and influence. With so much going on identifying a category in terms of genre has proven difficult, and indeed the band pride themselves in this lack of restraint in the music (with elements of psychedelia, rock, indie and even hip-hop to name but a few all bringing their own manifestations in the album). The band’s sole aim is to create something which sounds good. Interweaving heavily atmospheric instrumental tracks and bright, energetic songs makes for an exciting listen, and gives reason to listen out for anything to come in the four-piece’s promising creative future.
‘%’, a stand out track, is a titillating mix of subdued vocal lines, washy guitar chords, bright, exciting drums and mid range guitar riffs. The music washes over you and drags you in, and with the vocal line low in the mix, the other instrumental lines almost overwhelm you in an enjoyably mesmerising fashion. Certainly not crisp or clear, the blurring of instruments and vocals in a very busy head space provides a blanket texture, and although it is possible to pick up individual lines, allowing the music to flood your aural capacity is really what allows the music to shine. Indeed, lead vocalist Mitch Todorov has likened the act of listening to the album as being “like swimming through a sea of bubblegum”; eventually you just get stuck in it. Aesthetic similarities can be drawn between this track and the Maccabees’ album Into the Wild, in particular the opening track ‘Feel to Follow’, with regard to their use of texture. Listening to this album is largely an assault on the ears and brain, but in a most enjoyable fashion.
Tracks such as ‘Hivemind’ certainly fit the previous bubblegum description, and to me the guitar effects recreate the effect of being underwater. This atmosphere is heard throughout the album, and really forces you to ‘experience’ the music and engage with its quirkiness.
The instrumental track, ‘Hover Over’, though relatively short, provide a point of difference in the track list, and seeing a band feature vocal-less tracks (n.b. as tracks in their own right, not as interludes or such like) with such confidence and prominence is not only refreshing, but also testament to a cultured songwriting skill, as the instrumental tracks can easily stand up to those featuring a vocal line. The melancholic guitar lines in the instrumental ‘Hover Over’ soar and whirl around, as if above you, constantly moving, and feature small hints of a psychedelic, ‘out of tune’ nature. This slight difficulty in listening is actually rather pleasing, questioning the musical pallet to great success.
The drums throughout the album must be drawn to attention. Consistently bright, energetic and full of attack, they provide a point of centrality and solidarity, providing the basis for the oddity and overflow of texture surrounding them.
Whilst the amalgamation of genre, the overwhelming texture and quirk of Klozapin’s début release may not be to everyone’s taste, fans of rock, psychedelia, indie and pop in particular (and indeed everyone else) all should give this band a listen. Diverting from the crisp nature of modern music is effective and fresh, and this band certainly has a promising future ahead of it, having already gained a relatively large following. You’ll either love it or hate it. I love it.
Release Date 05/01/2015 (Conquest of Noise)
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I am a third year music student at the University of Leeds and am passionate about experiencing music. In my view, being able to hear, see and appreciate the human involvement in playing an instrument or singing is the most important thing.
