Rabbit Hole Repost: an eclectic new music blog: January 2017

Sunday, January 29, 2017

EP - One by Brothers Mothers

The Kyiv trio Brothers Mothers released their impressive first EP late last year simply titled ‘EP - One’. It’s difficult to pin down the style of this release or of the band in general which, in my opinion, is always a good sign. It says it’s original (as much as that’s still possible) and it’s certainly refreshing to be challenged by an independent release in an era dominated by nostalgia, and same-only-different rehashing.

Of course, that’s not to say Brothers Mothers (you have to dig the clever name by the way) aren’t grounded in some eclectic, stylistic foundation. It’s funky, psychedelic, progressive. The band cites influences as various as breakbeat, shoegaze, and jazz. The EP is chill then heavy, even post-punkish at times, but still with a groove. From the start, the first song ‘You’ grabs your attention. It’s lush with melody and dripping with sixties era effects. There’s plenty of shoegazing and weird synth sounds on the EP, however it doesn’t rely on these explorations the way a shoegaze or psych band would. That is to say, there is a musical foundation that shows their mastery not just of effect pedals, but of instrumentation and composition. There are chord changes, even rhythmic changes, executed with ease. In fact, the rhythmic dynamism is to me perhaps the most compelling aspect of the project, testament to the benefit of a human drummer in the age of digital drum loops. In short, these guys have chops.

You may have also noticed from the EP cover or from perusing their various social and streaming sites, their keen eye for minimal art and design. And, if you speak Russian or Ukranian you might also notice their appreciation for poets like Joseph Brodsky or Vilen Barsky, as they incorporate works from these poets in their lyrics.

Brothers Mothers prove to be a unique musical force, intriguing in their experimentation and impressive in their musicianship. They are doubtless an act to keep your eye on.

You can download EP - One for free now on Bandcamp

Matt Ackerman