For those not already in the know, it’s almost impossible to hear about Drughorse Collective, Chapel Hill’s loose organization of similarly lo-fi minded musicians, and not at least briefly think of Animal Collective.
It’s a shame, because the similarities are few and far between.
This EP features three Drughorse acts: Max Indian, The Light Pines, and Ryan Gustafson, each given two songs. You’d never know it was three separate bands, however, and that’s what makes Drughorse One so remarkable — its cohesiveness.
Music Review
Various ArtistsDrughorse One
Dive verdict:4 of 5 stars
It’s a mellow, synth- and reverb-drenched affair that leans heavily on musical hooks. The Light Pines and Max Indian are especially fond of mixing echoing vocals and looping drums with piano-based beats. Each track gives or takes a little of these basic ingredients, varying enough to keep things interesting.
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Location: Local 506
506 W. Franklin St.
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Max Indian’s “Dark of Night,” with a lazy, plunking piano beat, jerks you into watchfulness with a chorus that flows effortlessly between yelling and Fleet Foxes-like harmony.
The Light Pines put forth the grittiest effort with their second song “Climbing Towards You,” which employs a more intense dose of feedback and distortion as a swirling backdrop for Josh Pope’s tale of a love affair “where just like before, (he’s) caught in a trance.”
Ryan Gustafson closes with the somber acoustically based “Desert.” The minimal synths subtly used in the chorus tie it in with the rest of the album but hang back enough that the song stands out.
Even as each act shows a slightly different type of lo-fi pop-rock, their ability to blend these differences together seamlessly makes for a consistently pleasing experience.
It remains to be seen if future collections can maintain such cohesion, but right now it’s clear that, in this case, having too many musicians in the studio doesn’t spoil Drughorse’s sound.
Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.
