Great Time
80z Slo Jam (Live in Philadelphia)
This is an absolutely fascinating band from Philadelphia - one of the most interesting ones we’ve come across. They’re a cross between Art of Noise, Paramore and Erykah Badu. Viciously original. Sonically unique. Groovy, hard hitting and massive. The band consists of Jill Ryan (lead singer/multi-instrumentalist), Zack Hartmann (bassist/synth), and Donnie Spackman (drummer/synth). This is our review of their latest single, “80z Slo Jam.”
It’s sonic whirlwind to start - odd tones and atonal combinations to set up a dark vibe. The intro lasts over a minute before a beat and synth comes in with 80’s tones that reminds us of Art of Noise. Jill’s vocals enter over the beat and synth lines with a soprano melody that floats perfectly above the brooding setting. With the chorus, her tone and angst change, revealing a hard edge to her voice and a delivery that is part rap - part punk rock. It’s a solid hook, one we can image being delivered by multiple genres. Post chorus, we get an awesome flute riff solo by Jill. Great idea, fits perfectly and shows some incredible depth to the band. Second verse builds in intensity with absolutely gorgeous synth chords and pads that are part Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, part Depeche Mode - while never falling out of favor with the heavy live drums and killer bass line. The music perfectly reflects the lyrics and the challenge she’s facing - a desire to go back and find the truth. Second chorus explodes with her high vocal line and the final chorus is full throttle with everyone going full tilt on their parts. The ending is chaotic but beautiful - a hard landing after such an emotional ride. What’s hidden in this is the role that the guitar plays in the take. Don’t dismiss it as noise, put your cans on and listen to the swells and effects - same thing with the bass line. It’s repetitious but fluid, and works perfectly. Great track! Very unique, haven’t heard a band like this in years - these are the types of projects and musicians that give us hope for the artform!
Make sure you check out this great video of them performing it live - click here. You’ll gain a high appreciate for how this track is built, and the band’s musicality.
If this is the only track you hear from them, you won’t get the full picture - by a long shot. Scroll down to catch the rest of their socials and dive through the other tracks - you won’t be disappointed. Our favorites include “Rushin” with its R&B vibes and “Homerun” with it’s pop feel. When you put these two together with this release, you begin to see how damn talented this band is. They’ve started to build a solid following and hit the road quite a bit - especially in New England. We hope we get a chance to see them soon and look forward to the rest of the record!