Review Summary: Coletta jump out of the dark with a fantastic EP that is heavily inspired by Dance Gavin Dance and Icarus the Owl
"Forbidden fruit at the rendezvous, Bad girls are cuckoo and use voodoo to ruin you" - Blossom
Sometimes you just stumble onto music. Well, truthfully, I stumble onto most of my music, but sometimes you stumble onto a band that just resonates with you. That's how I would describe my relationship with the four-piece progressive rock band from Atlanta. Their first offering, Mind & Time, is a punchy, mathy, and fun experience that reminds me of everything great about early Dance Gavin Dance. And that's a very good thing.
The five track EP kicks off with the song Flower Child that gives a taste of what to expect. Light and floral electronics are utilized to pull the listener in and usher them into the mathy world of the EP. From there, the guitars kick in and Dylan Alexander's energetic vocals take over. The production is surprisingly clean and well developed for a first offering, with the exception that at times the vocals can be overwhelmed by the guitars. Beyond the production, an absolute stand out would be the screams. Though not utilized as much as in a band like Dance Gavin Dance, the screams are hard hitting, impressive, and incredibly distinct. Lyrically, the screams are certainly inspired by Jon Mess, but vocally the delivery is all Coletta's.
After giving this EP a few listens, something has rubbed off on me because I can't quite get it out of my head. It's not that they do anything entirely differently, although a case could be made that they certainly have twisted math/progressive rock into their own formula, it's rather that they do it so well, and in a manner that's refreshingly playful. Just like the cover of the EP, the music is colorful and messy, but it's controlled chaos in the best way possible.
Standout Tracks: Blossom, Flower Child, The Bee's Knees
Edit: This EP has been re-released. The tracks are better mixed, but my opinion remains essentially the same.
