Kapil Seshasayee - "Brazen" (Single Review)

By: James Harris

Album Type: Single

Date Released: 27/10/2015

Label: Fu Inle Records

The Review

Glasgow genre-defier Kapil Seshasayee dropped the single “Brazen” on October 27th on Fu Inle Records, an intense shard of proggy post-rock in the form of a promo video that follows August's EP “Crimes.”

The music on this track meshes well with the video: well-produced, low-key, melodic, but dark and intense as well - a lot of clean lines in both video and song. Like an ambient take on math rock or a noise band come clean, Kapil's guitar flows effortlessly between thick textural pulses, noisy effects, and more diverse moves such as sweeps and tapping and the like, it’s  mellow but driving.

Influences seem to range from Mogwai to Big Black, Between the Buried and Me to Polvo. The use of the waterphone was a cool touch that added a great deal to the aura of the piece. The instrument is often used in film scores, like a bunch of 60s horror movies, Poltergeist, Let the Right One In and many others. The video is a sort of multi-angle performance video, dark and spare like the song itself. It is pretty straightforward, but with some interesting cuts and angles, reflecting the way the tune has a groove that is easy to nod along to while being technical and interesting enough to keep you off guard as to what comes next - building a tension that is never quite released. Many great clear shots of the guitar work, and the vocals are clear, strong, and melodic. It is a complex tune that should further add to his reputation in anticipation of an end of the year UK tour and forthcoming debut full-length. 

‘Brazen’ is available here

Band info: bandcamp

Kapil Seshasayee - Automaton EP (Review)

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 23/1/2014

Label: Self Released

‘Automaton’ EP track listing:

1). An Automaton

2). Minotaur

3). A Raining Animal Event

Bio:

Equal parts Earth, Scott Walker, Floor, Big Black, Swans, Godflesh, Faraquet and Einstürzende Neubauten.

The Band:

Kapil Seshasayee | Everything

Review:

What an eccentric release. Equal parts drone, no-wave, and melodic pop rock, Kapil Seshayee traverses an unorthodox and peculiar take on the doom aesthetic as seen through an eerie lens of accessibility. Extremely melodic and crystal clear vocals over minimalist drum programming and fantastic atmospheric guitar work make for a surprisingly novel sound that in my opinion could easily make it on the radio, with just enough malevolence to still feel sinister. Creeping out of Glasgow, Automaton is the first record from this intriguing artist who may have written the only thing I've ever compared to both Swans -and- the Deftones.

Over three tunes, this curious collection maintains a unique balance between unsettling and mellifluous, maintaining a tense symmetry between his harmonious and distinct voice and the constant minor key melody and alllmost-sludge.

The first track, An Automaton, begins like a classic goth soundtrack; a simple and somber theme under the interesting use of a vocal drone. "You've been here before: I’ve been here before" lyrically hooking you into a smooth transition to a subdued heaviness. "At times I'm not sure it's you I'm speaking to" precedes a final burst of doom before switching gears on the more raucous Minotaur. A jittery, stuttering rhythm provides an effective counterpoint to the sleek and polished vocals, and the song ends with a solid example of his totally bizarre sense of melody. This sense is more thoroughly explored on the final track, A Raining Animal Event, via clever chilled-out guitars interwoven with a more uplifting use of his vocal ability. The song swells into an oddly tense and spastic turn before slipping into a spare and austere final call: "tragic is the end, the lengths to which we've gone."

I love this, and can't wait to hear more. Dismal and droning enough to appease a great deal of doom fans, yet far enough from metal to trick your non-metal head friends into listening to something nice and dark! Melodic yet way out of the ordinary. Highly recommended.

Words by:  James Harris

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