They say good things come to those who wait- and for fans of folk-pop outfit Guise, the five-year wait for new music will have been every bit worth the anticipation. Their latest EP, ‘The Fun Part’, every bit lives up to its name- packed full of bright, joyful melodies that offset the beautifully crafted, heartfelt lyricism, this record is a joy to behold once you five into its depths.
Sprouting seemingly from a bedrock of earthy, folky tones is opener ‘The Fun Part’. Warm, melodious guitars accompany the deliberately pronounced vocals, which are pure and unsullied, floating alongside beautiful harmonies, which elevate to a choral symphony in the final chorus. Drums beat softly low in the mix, and the staccato vocals in the bridge compliment the breezy warmth of the melody, which is full-bodied and buttery, with enough pace behind the chorus to give it a smooth, swaying tempo.
The guitar line twinkles even more glitteringly on it’s successor, ‘Too Far Gone’, which glows with a gentle brightness, anchored down from being elevated to lullaby-sweetness by the low tone in the vocals. The sharpness of the lyrics’ wry melancholy that ebbs and flows through the chords is balanced by the soft embrace of the guitar, and the introduction of the grandiose keys and ethereal layered harmonies that soar upwards all converge to create an atmosphere of intoxicating balminess. A feeling that intensifies on the third offering, ‘Surprise’. Capturing images akin to sunlight streaming through open windows, or leaves swaying in a summer breeze, the track beats with a palpable soul of the likes of Joni Mitchell. Full of rousing depth, it is a soft, beautiful ode to the divine wonder of falling in love.
Closing out this quartet of flickering ballads is the plaintive opening guitar of ‘Brother In Arms’. The most emotionally resonant of all the tracks, the tone of the vocals is simply stunning, as the chords in the opening verse dance and jangle, on the verge of feeling discordant, but held together by the low hum of the bass. The melody rolls over you in waves, rocking you into a cool reverie, as the drums pull themselves forward into prominence, giving the final seconds an echoing resonance.
Overall, this record seems sweet and elegant on the surface, yet underneath it masks a sharp wit and a wry dissection of a lifetime’s worth of experiences: the lessons learned, and the joy found. The tracks flow and ripple with an elegant precision, swinging and swaying through woven elements of jazz, folk and universally-penetrable pop. The perfect soundtrack to lazy summer days and cosy nights filled with wonder and reflection.
‘The Fun Part’ is due for release on March 6th.
Check out the video for the record’s title track here:
