Koji

2015 in Review: Music Releases at Will Not Fade

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It has been a great year for music, and I’ve struggled to keep up with everything around work and study, but I’ve settled on the follow as my top three musical releases of 2015:

Toe Hear You coverToe – Hear You 

The perfect album for almost any occasion. It’s light and summery with great instrumentation. Brilliant instrumental music that stands out from the rest of the crowd.

 

Koji_-_Fury_EPKoji – Fury 

This infectious EP that had me hooked from the moment I heard it. Koji’s new shoegazy sound really works for him. I can’t wait for more.

 

Gary Clark Jr Story Sonny Boy Sim cover artGary Clark Jr. – The story of Sonny Boy Slim.

Clark was stunning when he played Wellington in May. He previewed a few new tracks that had me excited for the forthcoming album. and the wait was worth it. Clark made this album on his own terms, and you can hear the difference when you compare it to his promising, yet lacking, début album. The album presentation is also stunning, including a cool etching on side D of the gatefold 2LP vinyl edition.

 

I didn’t make time to review these, but the following three are also well worth a listen

 

caspian-dust-and-disquietCaspian – Dust and Disquiet.

Post-rockers Caspian were once one of those bands that started quiet and slowly built up throughout the song. They have really turned it up a notch with Dust and Disquiet, with heavier songs that demand attention.

 

refusedRefused – Freedom.

The hardcore legends have made a comeback. It’s not Shape of Punk to Come, but it’s still awesome. They’re due to play in Wellington, and in Auckland at Westfest next year, and I really hope that this still happens in light of the Australian Soundwave Festival cancellations.

third-eye-blind-dopamine-artworkThird Eye Blind – Dopamine.

One of the quintessential 90’s bands prove that they’re still current with this upbeat rock album.

 

 

Of course, there were many more albums and EPs that deserve a mention. Have a browse through our album reviews to see what else Will Not fade covered this year. Which albums did you listen to the most this year?

Joseph James

EP Review: Koji – Fury

Koji Fury EP Cover
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Koji first came to my attention after releasing split EPs with label mates Into It. Over It and La Dispute. Unlike those two bands, I wouldn’t consider Koji emo or pop-punk like Into It. Over It. Nor is he hardcore and intensely dramatic like La Dispute. But both splits just seemed to work as great marriages between the artists involved. Koji is hard to classify because he has a sound that is both versatile and recognisable. He’s a laid back singer/songwriter with a voice that sounds earnest and warm and songs that seems both simple and thoughtfully crafted, with subtly intimate details.

Fury departs from Koji’s acoustic past but still remains infectious. Musically, it’s more like straightforward indie rock, but manages to stay interesting without the using choirs and violins and other such instruments that Koji has used previously.

Title track ‘Fury’ doesn’t appear to contain a super catchy hook, but it refuses to leave my head. I’ve listened to it so many times over the past few days. Each time the song seems to get better, and each time it gets further entrenched in my mind. I swear my dreams have even had ‘Fury’ playing as the soundtrack for my subconscious adventures.

The following three songs continue with the earworm treatment as well. “Breaking And Broken” is ridiculously catchy with its rhyming choruses, as is ‘Everyday’, with its repeated lines and memorable guitar lines. Closing track ‘Question’ rounds off the EP perfectly by slowing down the pace but keeping up the mood.

There’s a fuzzy shoegaze vibe that permeates throughout the songs, whilst still remaining carefree and upbeat; a formula of Silversun Pickups and early Smashing Pumpkins with a bonus dose of happiness to offset depression.

Fury is thoroughly addictive, with each listen fueling the need for another. I just cannot get enough of it. Go have a listen and get hooked yourself.

Joseph James