Review Summary: Makari releases a debut that unfortunately holds them back from their identity, but shows they are not afraid to be upfront and blunt with their sound.
Makari was a band I hadn't paid much attention to until Andy Cizek of WVNDER had become their new lead singer, following the departure of their second front man. And, truth be told, I hadn't been too fond of their two EPs that had been released prior to this record which are a bit more ambient than this record, but they turn up the aggressiveness that Andy's voice helps bring to their overall sound.
While his vocals are just a little lower than what this band is used to, they fit right at home with how aggressive and even a little high pitched at times in songs such as "Seasons" and "No Longer". Though, at times it feels as if there's an extra edge to his voice that he can't quite hit yet, so it comes across as a little subdued.
The instrumentation in this album is also incredibly varied. It can be as peppy, upbeat and fast-paced as seen in "Better" which smoothly transitions verse by verse. Slower songs like "Dashboard" start off slow and have the guitars and drums matched in sync with Andy's vocals, while they sometimes echo into the background, feeling as if you're lost in space but surrounded by this mystical noise.
However, this sort of magical feeling is not found to be too active on most tracks which is a shame; that helped Makari identify itself as unique, and while it is still a little present it does not show itself often in favor of a more direct approach to the listener's ears, favoring getting to the point instead of steady build ups which sometimes makes certain songs ("Fractals") feel unfinished or as if they are straying from their full potential.
Makari's debut album leaves nothing but positive lasting impressions and hopeful expectations of their future releases, but still a desire for them to retain their identity. But if this change lasts, it may possibly be for the better if they stay on this steady path they have built for themselves.
Recommended tracks:
Better
The Jar
Hyperreal
Dashboard
Control
