written by Lauren Rosier
Proud Creature, the solo moniker, for the seasoned musician, Todd Brozman, shares its debut 5-song EP Opening Creature, dropping March 16.
On Opening Creature, the EP begins with the track “Major Trouble”, also the lead track from the extended play. The song opens with some gentle, airy synths that seem to soar throughout the song. Brozman is able to seamlessly blend various instruments together to create a track that transcends expectations and delivers otherworldly mystique.
“Discovery Of The Future” begins with brooding guitars, haunting synths, and percussion. The song continues with spooky synths and percussion that helps to create an emotional connection.
The third track on the EP is “The Rookery.” This track begins with soaring, brassy synths, as you feel the otherworldly piano melody. It almost feels like you’re in another place or time.
“Pines” is a complex track featuring synths, keys, and more to create another ambient/electronic masterpiece. The brassy synths add depth, the piano helps create a melody. The background sounds and vocals add mystery to the song.
The last song on the EP is “Eastern Lines.” This track is different because there are some vocals; however, it sounds like it’s in another language. The unfamiliarity gives the song mystery.
Brozman reveals, “Opening Creature EP reflects travels and explorations I’ve had over the past few years. I’m trying to capture the headspace that opens up when we venture out of our default mindset and into something broader and more abstract. For me, these spaces have been explored through travel, dreams, nature, and spiritual exploration,” he continues.
“Musically, there’s lots of improvisation with eclectic instrumentation and non-traditional production techniques along with layerings of field recordings from travel, nature and religious prayer. Together, this creates an ethereal and otherworldly tone that underscores the broader themes of the album. As a whole, I am striving for something that feels alive, expansive, mysterious and alluring.”
The EP was produced in Brozman’s small studio where he recorded piano, synths, percussion, and other instruments. Brozman has worked with some notable artists including Yeasayer as the mixing assistant for their 2010 release, Odd Blood.
One of the things I find fascinating is that the instrumental parts of the EP were improvised, which adds to the live sound. He also added field recordings and various sounds to the EP to give it more of a spatial dimension. The ambiance almost feels like you’re in another world and dimension.
If you’re into electronic/ambient music, this is a really good texturized album with different layers of sounds and emotions.
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