Brasstronaut: Self-Titled Review

By Kristin Russell
Music Journalist

Artist: Brasstronaut
Album: Brasstronaut
Release date: November 2016
Website: http://www.brasstronaut.com/#brasstronaut

Iconic elements like ’40s inspired jazz and ’80s inspired pop have been making a comeback in modern music. Vancouver based band Brasstronaut does this beautifully in their third self-titled album. The layering of textures within the album is completely awe-inspiring because they incorporate so many elements like bright electronic components, dynamic horns, and calming vocals that complement each other.

Brasstronaut does something effortlessly innovative with their style by pairing classic with modern. They play with bluesy horns and ’80s electronica to turn an otherwise ordinary album into a burst of vibrance. It’s incredibly boring to hear one rainy day indie album after the next, but this album is revived by adding in gorgeous orchestral horns and colorful beats. The most fascinating thing about this album is their trumpeter, Bryan Davies. He has a beautiful, crisp style that is truly captivating. It’s something that makes you stop and look around at the world and take a moment to realize the beauty that surrounds us. That might sound incredibly idealistic and cliche, but I can literally attest to doing this while walking around campus.

The fact that this is a self-titled album says something very profound; the album itself is the embodiment of their band. Instead of making their debut album self-titled, a move most bands make to establish themselves, they decided to hold off so they could find their sound that truly encompasses Brasstronaut as a whole. It’s important to realize that taking the time to find their unique sound rather than rushing to put out a mediocre album is something any John Hughes fan would admire.