falls surprises me with a release I didn’t know I wanted
Wobbly VHS, snow covered forest, empty skies with only clouds. A guitar opens up over these shots, mellotron flute follows and a bass guitar joins to fill out the space. The music fills in for the blustering wind, dampened echoes, and distant sounds of animals. While these may be familiar ideas to anyone who lived in the cold, this EP reminds me of the midwest in the United States.
Those few days I would get off school every year due to a surprise snowstorm, I’d spend the time with friends or fill it with music or halo. The EP has a loneliness to it like some of those days. The city is shut down and it feels like the world has calmed for just a moment, but not many people outside due to the freezing temperatures. In that loneliness there is a great sense of beauty though, a time to think, reflect, and enjoy things slowly, not in a mad rush between classes, work, or whatever else you might have.
The main type of music I often hear people talk about that oozes nostalgia tends to be lofi hip hop or something along that vein. We see a lot of beat oriented music that fits that mold but not much in the way of ambient, at least that I hear my friends talk about. This EP is approachable and something I’ve recommended to those lofi hip hop enthusiasts. It’s perfect music to pay attention to very closely or have on while you work or read a book.
Another thing that makes this EP a rarity is the guitar driven ambient music. It’s simple, effective, and quite reminiscent of american folk. When I think guitar driven ambient I go straight to post rock as a genre and dig through the mental bin I have of great albums. I think of rock bands, groups, and loud shows, despite the quiet volume I listen to the albums at. Falls twenty below doesn’t give me the same feeling though, this is a personal work of music, something that doesn’t beg to be played to a group by a group.
If you haven’t become aware of falls music, I strongly urge you to visit the bandcamp and enjoy the sweet, nostalgic, trip that’s offered.
