Azure Marl Void - Low Fidelity

Azure Marl Void

​Low Fidelity
self-released; 2020

3.8 out of 5

By Jamie Funk

Low Fidelity is the third album from Azure Marl Void. He mentions that “I’m currently working on a fourth album with other musicians to create a studio album. Thus the name for this album Low Fidelity.” The album is lo-fi but it’s also minimal with acoustic guitar and vocals being the focal point.

The general genre on this album felt like very emotive singer/songwriter type folk. There were times I was reminded of one of my all time favorite albums Carrie & Lowell by Sufjan Stevens. The mood is primarily reflective and melancholy. There is a noticeable sort of tortured affectation coming from the vocalist that seemed too prominent. That being said they are some more brief musical moments of rejoice and perhaps hope.

“Alexxx” opens with delicate guitar picking. It’s pretty but mostly warm melancholy. The vocals fit the mood. There are also more dreamy, atmospheric vocals which are caked in reverb. As soon as he starts to strum the vocals become less a focal point and more like an hypnotic element.

“Devils & Beasts” starts off as straightforward emotive singer/songwriter folk. The song certainly has some of the more hopeful moments. He sings “Hallelujah” which contains subdued finger snaps. “Garden of Gethsamane” is a softly strummed song with some reversed elements in the mix. “Homeless” is a slow burn starting with a field recording and slowly transitioning into pads and eventually guitar and vocals.

“In Tiny Molecules” was noticeably softer and more lo-fi than the previous songs but still sounded similar in terms of colors and tones. “O' I Am” contains melodramatic spoken words with some of the most inventive and also joyous guitar. The percussive aspects were cool and reminded me of Bon Iver.  Last up is “Jacob” which contains lyrics with overt religious connotation.

​This album certainly has the tortured artist type of sentiment from the lyrics, to the music to the delivery. That made the more hopeful moments such as the “Hallelujah” lyrics on  “Devils & Beasts” all that much more powerful. Take a listen.

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