If Seven Was A Number is a resonating new album from Fundamental Shift. The Adelaide, South Australia-based duo comprises Andrew Muecke and Andy Rasheed. Their lyrical explorations of the human condition combine with a moody, melodic range of free-flowing aesthetical engrossment — spanning from psych-rock to atmospheric art-folk.
Opening the album, “Incandescent Grace” melds conversational vocal feelings with hypnotic guitar twangs — shifting into more dynamic, haunting vocal layers. “Nobody can cool things down a little,” a soaring vocal emits alongside hazy guitars, crafting a sound enjoyably reminiscent of Steely Dan’s most delectably dazed efforts. The subsequent “You Know Better Now” consumes with a haunting, nocturnal soundscape amidst introspective lyricism — here showing shades of The Blue Nile and dark sophisti-pop in its emotive atmospherics.
Another highlight, “Just These Crumbs” builds quickly from an eerie electronic touch into clamoring percussion and invigorating vocal emotion. The “this pedestal,” spaciousness around the two-minute turn invokes the mysterious entrancement of Scott Walker. The album’s standout finale “The Dream Is a River” also compels, venturing across an epic 13+ minutes of moody rock and exotic folk cohesion — conjuring a fond likeness to later-era Talk Talk. If Seven Was A Number is a memorable overall success from Fundamental Shift.
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“You Know Better Now” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
