Luminous Wavez are a collaborative project created from the songwriting partnership of American lyricist Mike Dobbins and British musician Leaone. On their EP, Ashes Of The Artist, they’ve created a masterpiece, combining their musical efforts together to produce something wonderful.
By Jane Howkins
The first song on this four track EP is Revenge Song Spiritual, opening with a bluesy guitar melody – it’s quite a slow song, but that only serves to make it sound more beautiful. The main chord sequence is haunting, seeing the low vocals following the guitars stylistically. The track breaks down towards the end, making it all sound very epic. This was my favourite song on the entire EP.
Ex Regrets brings the tempo up slightly, having more of a typical reggae/ska style sound, making for a very different vibe than the previous song! It’s still got a dark edge to it though, as the raw vocals sing a tale of balladry, alongside the groovy acoustic guitar melodies. It all makes for something that sounds very atmospheric, drawing you into Luminous Wavez’s world slowly.
Let The Pain Be Your Light starts off with just an acoustic guitar and Leaone’s vocals, changing things up once again. I felt there was actually something rather grungy about this track, despite its acoustic nature, which might be due to the chord progression used. Some strings are added towards the end, adding a rhythmic quality which fits the strumming of the guitar well.
Have No Fear has a slightly waltzy beat, seeing the strings appearing from the very start, mixing well with the acoustic guitar rhythm. It sounds really upbeat, despite there being little in the way of percussion, with the rhythm also adding to the melody of the piece. A programmed drum beat is added later on, raising the tension up even further.
Ashes Of The Artist is an EP that crosses across a number of different genre boundaries, showing that Luminous Wavez are a duo that are definitely worth your time. If you’re into folk, Americana, blues or rock music, there should be something here for you!
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