I've been wanting to review For Science! for a while now, but as with anything this good, you need to take your time to appreciate every detail. The music is instantly impactful. Opening with the title-track — a true anthem capturing the spirit of the album — I was hooked immediately. With such a significant opening lyric as "Keeping them alive is harder than it sounds", Alex Matcalfe makes abundantly clear to the listener that these are words concealing deep meaning whilst revealing an earnest and contemplative listening experience.
Thankfully, the production on this release is excellent, so you won't miss a word. Atmospheres are conveyed beautifully and the arrangement as a whole is fully realized. Achieving cohesion is one thing, but to seemlessly introduce new sonic textures while maintaining cohesion is indicative of a tactful, if not masterful, approach to songwriting. Lovely glitch-synth patterns w/ intertwined guitar fx, dynamic & expressive percussion, effectively concise basslines, perfectly timed breaths of air, and close attention paid to enunciation...
The addition of vocal collaborator Olivia Cox gives a lift on middle song "Faces in the Fog". Beginning with a drum pattern in "7" and long synth crescendo, piano is subtly introduced as the build gives way and we drop into a modest jazz section. (The level of imagination and articulation sans pretense is remarkable.) Entering into more a menacing space with Broken Wing, an electro-rock gem, it may occur to you that the music seems to be hinting at a more aggressive nature...and you'd be right! A Way Out closes the album with a bang!
In line with the consistency of their musical concept is their dedication to the visual component. You can check out their video for the title-track from For Science! right here:
There is nothing about For Science! that seems out of place, nothing that doesn't need to be. With lyrics which bleed sincerity, and a collective propensity for vivid expression, it's no exaggeration to say that this album has the potential to put one in such an introspective mood that one may just wish to spend the rest of the day alone with their thoughts. It's music to find solace in during times of personal struggle, and possibly aid in discovering new aspects of your being. This is not just good music, this is much more important.
Stay tuned for more from Waxlimbs in the (hopefully near) future!
