Monday 27 January 2014

EMBRZ - New Waves


Breaking More Waves is a new music blog, which means you’re unlikely to find anything here that was released in 1979. But what about something that was released 8 months ago, that’s already had 80k plays on Soundcloud? Is that no longer new and should it therefore be discarded from being featured? There’s a line to be drawn somewhere, but sometimes the line shifts. It’s why every chapter of The Rules of Pop (including the one about blogging) is constantly being redrafted. For if it isn’t and the rules remain the same then everything about creativity becomes stagnant and boring. In fact, the most exciting rule in the rules of pop is the one written on the very first page. It says quite simply ‘THERE ARE NO RULES’. It applies to every chapter. Sometimes we wish we remembered that first page more often ourselves.

So here’s an artist that has been throwing stuff up on the internet since the middle of last year, already has thousands of Soundcloud plays and we’ve posted about once before just a few days ago due to a remix of his. But today we’re introducing him on his own accord.

EMBRZ is one Jack Casey from Ireland and his Facebook simply tells us that he likes to make music. Probably not the grandest of descriptions, some would probably prefer a proper biography telling you how he went off to write songs in a cabin in the woods after splitting with his long-term girlfriend or something similar, but remember what it says in the front of the rulebook, and that includes pop biographies. Once someone tells you it has to be done in a certain way, someone will do it differently, what they do will be brilliant and you’ll be made to look a fool. 

In fact EMBRZ has already broken some of those rules. Listen to his track Slow Down, a gorgeous crystalline piece of down-tempo electronic music that turns Paramore and Gabrielle Aplin samples into something that will leave you breathless with wonder. It’s the musical equivalent of a dreamy Chvrches coming down after the all night high.

Then listen to his remix of Ellie Goulding’s How Long Will I Love You (here) See what he did there? Yes there’s a hefty similarity. Now try his remix of Dive In (here) which we posted recently. Oh, hold on. Is he taking the piss? No more than thousands of indie rock bands who smother every song in the same layers of guitar reverb and noise or rip off their sixties heroes time and time again. He’s just hasn’t bothered buying a rulebook. However, endless repetition would surely become too much and therefore EMBRZ adds something else with the exceptional Make Your Way. The result? Arrestingly beautiful dance music that is both euphoric and chilled in equal measure.

Remember, THERE ARE NO RULES.  

EMBRZ - Slow Down



EMBRZ - Make Your Way

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