Every time I listen to music, I’m fascinated by the idea of how the artist created this track or this album in general. Does it have a backstory, was it just preference, or simply put, “there’s just no rhyme or reason”? Today, I had the pleasure of reviewing CS Hellmann’s newest EP, ‘In My Head.’ Join me as I break down this 2-track EP into pieces and read why this EP is what I call the EP of a living and breathing artist.
‘In My Head’ started with a futuristic feel because of the synth guitar lick accompanied by that electronic drum beat. I can’t put my finger on it, but it has a sustained keyboard sample or guitar note delay that creates a floating like feeling layering the whole track.
It sounds good to hear an indie electronic track in the ocean of jaunty raw mixes. It feels and sounds special to have a track that’s influenced by this 80s dreamy keyboard synth and Arctic Monkeys, so to say.
CS Hellman’s vocal style suits this type of music very well. It’s hypnotic, danceable, and groovy all at the same time. It speaks volumes about how creativity works. It literally means you don’t need high-pitched vocals and an overused song formula to sound cool.
The arrangement choice is very much appreciated in this track. As a producer myself, I can cite things that I would want to do on this mix, but the decision to make the vocals and instrumentations, specifically the sustained keyboard sample, neck to neck with one another, is a great move. It created this holistic/heavenly mix that, if changed or even quantized, would ruin the whole vibe of the track.
The second track, ‘Love I Left Behind’, has the same electronic indie approach, but it has a more dark tone to it because of the overall feel and vibe of the track. It started with this running feel, bass, and guitar lick that sounds like an intro to a futuristic game.
The mix on this track has the vocals a bit louder than the instrumentation, which is still suited and much appreciated, given that it focuses more on the dark undertone of the track, whether it’s the lyrics or the overall arrangement.
The ‘In My Head’ EP by CS Hellmann is a bold move because of its sound exploration and experimentation as a whole. It’s the EP that any living and breathing artist would want because you can hear who the artist is and what they represent. There’s no decision-making done. This is CS Hellmann in his true form. In today’s age, where jaunty rom-com pop tracks are the standard, we have this EP, and if that is not artistic in its own form, then I don’t know what is.
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About the Author
He has been in the music industry for two and a half decades. Currently, he plays bass guitar for a rock-reggae band called EnjointPh and a funk-fusion trio called Banky. He also hosts a podcast titled Usapang Musiko with Ervin Besana, which explores topics such as music, arts, and philosophy.
