Flask is a musical journey that never stops evolving from beginning to end. Composed by our friend, Ari Joshua, creator of the excellent Help On The Way cover we took a look at here, the track mixes the pedigree of his compositional skills with the nuanced performance and delivery of other Space Owl members: Bob Lovelace, John Ewing, and David Appelbaum.
Together, their music is technically fantastic, charismatic, and smooth. It achieves this sound without pulling any punches with psychedelic and alternative styling.
The track opens with a guitar part that plays with different time signatures. It feels as if the way it sways between rhythms becomes a rhythm. I’m not sure if there is a word for that. If there is not, I’ve just coined it “metarhythm.” As the track develops, it settles into this syncopated guitar melody that contrasts a more traditional bassline. Together, they create a nice contrast in terms of rhythm and tone. The juxtaposition of the rhythm doesn’t underscore tension but instead builds excitement in the context of this track. It’s a gentle and smooth anticipation, aided by the upstrokes on the guitar, giving the syncopation a reggae steeze.
The vocals come in late and are subtle in their delivery. The track manages to say so much while allowing the instrumental to be the focus. Although the song communicates a narrative through the lyrics, their position in the mix is not dominant. They are mixed like any other instrument, allowing the other attributes to wash over them. This choice gives the track a sonic equality that makes it sound very unique. The vocals ebb and flow beautifully, keeping up with the ever-changing tempo and energy of the track. I appreciate the harmonies, especially in the tonal shift after the four-minute mark.
This track is so innovative that I created a new word to describe it. Space Owl is doing something unique here that’s worth checking out.
Leave a Reply