Drawing Mazes, the project of Chicago, USA-based singer, song writer and producer Chris Pusinelli, turns stress into gold with self-titled EP.

By Graeme Smith

Opening with a scene of a sleep-deprived start of a day, the anxiety is already high in the EP’s first track Patient and Gracious. It feels like a pleading hymn, a call to a divine force (in this case ‘love’) to find some sereness in the everyday noise. It’s very relatable in a world in which we are all burning ourselves out to keep up with the pace of it all, and showcases Chris’s song writing chops.

It’s song writing that we’re already familiar with on this blog thanks to his debut EP, Living With Friction, released earlier this year. That previous EP was made up of quirky indie rock like Belle & Sebastian and The New Pornographers. Drawing Mazes shows us a different side of Chris’s sound with a gentler, more intimate style.

Canyon Wolf is upbeat, and brings an atmospheric vibrance. Chris’s vocals take on a wonderfully soulful quality during its rich meditation on monotony. Your Favourite Book is low, simmering and gets lost in wishful thinking. Why Do I Always Think Too Much? proves a surprise thanks to its combination of indie rock and dance elements in its instrumental. It’s a highlight.

Your Joy, Remembered gives us an ambient instrumental moment before Vienna Beef closes the record with an acoustic track that’s short but rich with storytelling. It’s another highlight.

If you ever find yourself overthinking or letting your mind wander off with scenarios of what could be, then you’re going to find a lot of relatability in Drawing Mazes’ new EP. Chris has expertly put his anxieties to song, hopefully giving himself some catharsis, and providing some for his listeners. His upcoming EP is an intimate, unexpected wonder.

Drawing Mazes is set for release 4 October 2024.