EP3 - How to Build a Universe That Doesn't Fall Apart Two Days Later
Published: March 9, 2012
By: Anand Harsh
Years of ceaseless road gigs has not broken EP3. Quite the opposite. The Atlanta-based livetronica act could have easily gotten fat on McChickens, complacent about rehearsal and growth, and just flat out burnt out. But instead, their sound has become more developed, the stage show has gotten tighter, and the original material--well, just take a listen for yourself. Most road acts, specifically live electronic bands, release shitty studio material; that's as accepted a truth as "baby sloths are adorable" (I know you've seen that YouTube video). How to Build a Universe that Doesn't Fall Apart Two Days Later is a real testament to the studio album. Careful production, variety in approach, and a penchant for patience are hallmarks of a solid release. Instead of just "laying down a sick jam" track after track, the hours and hours of thoughtful planning are evident in the structure of this album, which functions as a whole. One solid record from beginning to end. "Fly Over" and "Communication" live up to the cinematic tag. "With Dawn" builds towards a contemporary drop. It's clear that they didn't just make a dubstep track because that's what you're supposed to do these days. It actually makes sense there. It's clean, not overdone--and doesn't sound crappy--most importantly. And it goes without saying, but really sophisticated, modern drumming from Tom Hilton is present throughout the album, which is difficult to find in a machine drum world. The full album will be released through ALR (Abstract Logic Recordings) on April 2nd.
Years of ceaseless road gigs has not broken EP3. Quite the opposite. The Atlanta-based livetronica act could have easily gotten fat on McChickens, complacent about rehearsal and growth, and just flat out burnt out. But instead, their sound has become more developed, the stage show has gotten tighter, and the original material--well, just take a listen for yourself. Most road acts, specifically live electronic bands, release shitty studio material; that's as accepted a truth as "baby sloths are adorable" (I know you've seen that YouTube video). How to Build a Universe that Doesn't Fall Apart Two Days Later is a real testament to the studio album. Careful production, variety in approach, and a penchant for patience are hallmarks of a solid release. Instead of just "laying down a sick jam" track after track, the hours and hours of thoughtful planning are evident in the structure of this album, which functions as a whole. One solid record from beginning to end. "Fly Over" and "Communication" live up to the cinematic tag. "With Dawn" builds towards a contemporary drop. It's clear that they didn't just make a dubstep track because that's what you're supposed to do these days. It actually makes sense there. It's clean, not overdone--and doesn't sound crappy--most importantly. And it goes without saying, but really sophisticated, modern drumming from Tom Hilton is present throughout the album, which is difficult to find in a machine drum world. The full album will be released through ALR (Abstract Logic Recordings) on April 2nd.
