Review Summary: "When I look around, it seemed clearer before..."
There’s an emotional intimacy that is felt in the music of
Hiding, Mingling that makes it so irresistibly alluring. Following along the path of their influences, Elliot Smith and The Fray, White Violet blend the instrumental minimalism of Folk music with a sensitive rock sound that aspires to develop a connection with the listener in a more sentimental environment. The musical style of the album is very dreary, often expressing itself in a tiresome mood that exudes from the simplicity of the musicianship and the forlorn tone of Nate Nelson’s voice.
The acoustic piece,
“White Wash”, opens the album and introduces a gloomy setting that we’ll become comfortably habituated with as we dwell further into Hiding, Mingling. Yet ironically, there is this subtle sense of optimism that emanates from the song as it progresses. The chorus delivery especially is very inviting. Though discussing rather mournful content, it illuminates our dark setting with a bright poppy tone that we can’t help but sing along to. The album then flows into
“4 A.M.”, which elevates the pace only slightly as it incorporates very restrained drumming and enervated guitar playing to reflect the lethargic angst that serves as the musical theme of the album. In
“Lays Around Lazy” and
“Everyday Is Listening” we find White Violet indulging into a more spirited mood that is seldom encountered in most of the album. Both songs display a very upbeat melodic expression, coating us with a more animated embrace that rejuvenates our listening experience with a refreshing and highly welcomed alteration in sound.
“A Book”, and the closing finale,
“Ghost, Teacher, Girl, and I”, exhibit a profound atmospheric haze that separates them from the rest of the album. There is a mild sense of psychedelia that decorates the music with a dreamy, sensual soundscape. Hiding, Mingling proves to be a very entertaining debut by White Violet, and harnesses a sound that is certainly attractive in its own right. Its only liability is that it doesn’t introduce any kind of musical style that hasn’t already been developed and performed by countless other acts. Hiding, Mingling has no real genuine attribute that makes it unique, and because of that it is destined to be overlooked and remain in the back corners of the music industry. Along with other several independent musicians that have tried to reach the heights by composing Folk rock albums, but never managed to be innovative enough to capture the attention of the public media. White Violet have certainly written an impressive first effort, but as of right now, they’re just another indie band.
