Marian Hill
Act One
Reviewed by: Julia Cirignano
As Marian Hill, Samantha Gongol and Jeremy Lloyd released their debut album, Act One. This duo writes music together- Gongol on vocals and Lloyd producing. Marian Hill has gold teeth swag with delicate, human sensitivity. These two musicians work together so well because they are always on the same wave length- it’s surprising that these tracks didn’t come from the same brain.
“Down” tickles listeners with Gongol’s crisp voice, and then hits them over the head with soft bass. This song, like many others on the album, is a great contrast between traditional and modern music. Marian Hill finds a happy medium between these two different types of music…a very happy, ecstatic, thrilling medium.
Marian Hill’s music is captivating and tranquil, and also desirable to a wide variety of music fans. Their music is soft, but it hits home. It puts listeners into a hazy trance that is both introspective and calming. For example, “I Know Why” is an emotional song. Against the backdrop of the bass, which sounds like a heartbeat, is Gongol’s sweet and sour voice. Like Sour Patch candy, she breaks your heart with twisted lyrics, and then kisses your wounds with her faintly familiar sounding vocals.
Act One is a compilation of Gongol’s talented voice, and unique sounds. This album dribbles, bounces, floats, flies, skips, and rolls, releasing sparkles and gold coins. Their album is calming in the most unsettling way. Balloons pop, water splashes, a bucket of coins are tipped over, someone drops their phone, tongues flick, bubbles pop, metal hits metal, wood hits wood, and Marian Hill makes it music. Act One is human and alien, and it’s one summer album you don’t want to miss.
Rating: Bad-Ass
