ICHIWAWA and the psych folk sublime beauty of "there you go again" from "It's Awful, Goodnight"

 

"it's a feeling, a flesh wound, a fantasy, it's quicker than most, it's a new disease..."

Worcester, Mass singer-songwriter, musician, bedroom producer ICHIWAWA just dropped a diverse, emotionally drawn full length called "It's Awful, Goodnight". The collection of songs straddle different genres and ICHIWAWA is not afraid to stir ambient colors, start and stop percussive moves, experiment with tonal shifts and sound shapes. Some songs are bathed in dream pop cascades and shoegaze layers. Others turn on varied sideways beats while ICHIWAWA's vocal aesthetic might shift too from a post grunge almost country twang or wail into something else. I am thoroughly impressed with how much this talented artist puts himself out on the edge of his artistic cliffs. To say he colors outside the lines is an understatement. 

The entire album is a step into surprising places. Maybe one of the most sublime tracks is "there you go again". From the onset you can feel the pained, gentle strokes of sound, a pushing sparse beat and guitar harmonics singing a plaintive melody before the vocals come in. ICHIWAWA's vocals (close to the mic) feels raw and unfiltered, inward, solemn and resolute. Among bending sustaining tubular guitar notes that, on one hand, feels steeped in 90's Seattle grunge and, on the other, takes me to George Harrison-esque tones. The lead break while short is wonderful and the shift to sort of lightly lounge jazz punk dips in spots is lovely. I dig this a lot. 

If you want to swim in the opposite of "there you go again" (tonally) then step into the the heartland busker punk feeling of "but it's your third identity crisis this week" or or the insular gothic folk descent of "now we know what you like". They are emotional in another way entirely and hypnotically absorbing. I bring this up in lieu of a full album review (the thieves of time have gotten the better of me) because it shows ICHIWAWA 's brilliant artistic diversity. Listen to three songs and you will be hooked and you will have to listen to the entire album. This would make me happy.

-Robb Donker Curtius    

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THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:

https://ichiwawa.bandcamp.com/releases

https://www.instagram.com/ich1wawa/

https://open.spotify.com/track/2J4gSkS684hDIoiLDOKbrW

Worcester, Massachusetts' singer-songwriter, bedroom producer ICHIWAWA: "It started with the lights out...Pleasant, well-orchestrated and sounding boss on car speakers" 

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ICHIWAWA, psychedelic, folk indie, psych folk, folktronic, alternative, slowcore, Worcester, Massachusetts, singer-songwriter, Bedroom producer,  "there you go again", album "It's Awful, Goodnight",