Space Daze - Down on the Ground

Space Daze
Down on the Ground
2016
Spotify

Down on the Ground is the new EP from Space Daze a Seattle based indie artist. His sound can be described as somewhat shoegazey in it's hypnotic quality, but it also has a very earnest sound. You don't get all the fuzz associated with shoegaze music and there are not those big releases, but holding on to a musical idea and seeing it through is something that Space Daze are very good at. The vibe evoked throughout the record is this shimmery look at dusk just as the sun is setting and light is giving way to darkness. There is a great deal of hope in the record but also a sense that maybe things have not gone according to plan and coming to terms with that. "Go Wrong" is where this idea is expressed the most clearly. The majority of Down on the Ground is guitar driven, with one riff becoming the center of the entire song. The actual track can move and sway in different directions but that one riff keeps you coming back to a base line again and again. You would expect for this to get annoying after awhile but wisely Space Daze keeps his songs on the shorter side giving you just enough.

One of the drawbacks with this type of structure however is that each song tends to be a bit on the monotonousness side. There is also the fact that Danny Rowland's vocals leave a whole hell of a lot to be desired. His delivery has almost no passion, and he sounds almost flat throughout. With the instrumentation behind him there is so much potential but a great deal of it seems to be wasted. His songwriting is unquestionably stellar but a stronger vocalist would make these tracks absolutely soar. On "Brought Me Down" we get some almost surf rock sounding guitars that are a really pleasant surprise and for a song that is only just under two minutes long it works more than just an interlude usually does. The run time of the EP is only 12:29 making it really on the shorter side but his most recent full release was only 26:12 as he was trying to write a new song a day for the record. There is a great deal to really love on Down on the Ground and only a few things that take you out of it. In the end however this is an EP worth your time, and one you might secretly love.

7.1 out of 10