There are three basic elements at work in The Upwelling's debut EP, all of which are fully realized and surprisingly above average. First of all, this Brooklyn trio has written five incredible songs that meld the strongest elements of Tears for Fears, Pink Floyd, and Depeche Mode (all of whom I despise). Second, they've arranged and produced these songs and linked them thematically and musically, giving the EP the feel of one large piece of music rather than a collection of individual songs. Finally, brothers Ari and Josh Ingber, along with keyboardist Scott Morley, have played every note completely pitch perfect. Every moment of this ambitious disc is immaculately produced and fully realized. The fact that these dudes recorded the entire project in the basement of their Brooklyn apartment only makes the feat that much more incredible.
If the EP is experienced as a singular piece of music, "In Her Arms" functions as its introduction, not as a song in and of itself. Its eerie, reverb-soaked guitar line creeps into the headphones, followed shortly by a delicate vocal line that's as soft and ethereal as Ingber's guitar. By the time brother Josh's drums and Morley's keys have crept into the mix, we've already arrived at "Sam", technically the second track but more realistically just a variation on the musical tropes introduced by "In Her Arms". A wonderfully short and effective vocal sample bridges "Sam" to the EP's best section, the ridiculously good "Murdered by a Big Bomb". Its here that the EP, and The Upwelling, hits full stride.
It would be difficult to find a band that can strike a better balance between electronica and organic music than these guys do here. "Murdered by a Big Bomb" is punchy and upbeat, and you'd be a better man than me to find any seams between the programmed drum parts, the live musicianship, the layered vocals, the sound effects or the film dialogue that slides in and out of this remarkable cut. These elements barely make themselves known; they seem necessary and obvious choices as the song rolls by, but they're clearly not obvious. Most music doesn't sound this good.
The two remaining tracks serve as a sort of musical decompression after the extraordinary heights of "Murdered". In "Ladder 104", Ingber's strong voice is made central to the mix. His pipes sound like gold as they soar over the heavily affected acoustic guitar. Without a lyric sheet, you'll be at a loss trying to figure out why he's howling, but even if Ingber is shouting out a recipe for waffles, it's the most heartfelt recipe you've ever heard.
It's shocking just how assured this EP is. Three dudes from Brooklyn, without a label or a studio, have done what Pink Floyd tried to do with Dark Side of the Moon, but all the money and marijuana in the world couldn't stop that turd from stinking up the rock music canon (and the fucker does not synch up with any damn movie, by the way). Maybe this is a testament to how innovative an artist can be when put in a situation with very obvious boundaries. It's all the more reason why you should seek out The Upwelling now, before they're given money and sent down the road to mediocrity.
