Papaya Whip - Some Discoloration

Papaya Whip

Some Discoloration
self-released; 2020

4.1 out of 5 - TOP ALBUM

By Jay Freeman

The South Florida band known as Papaya Whip formed in 2017 and is led by singer/bassist Andrea Salomone and drummer Ari Mizani. The duo mostly plays in the Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and the West Palm Beach areas. The decision to be a duo came after a former guitarist moved and the resulting difficulty in finding the right third member. Through this came a defined vision of what Papaya Whip would eventually become. The twosome’s current EP Some Discoloration has elements of post-rock, jazz, alt rock and straight up groove. In order to widen their sound, Salomone and Mizani combined nine bass pedals and a looper pedal to create a dynamic wall of sound. Some tracks include additional synths to add an additional layer of space and mood.

“Black Mountain” mixes styles of spacey progressiveness, ambient and some sort of trip-slow motion, shoe gazzy – um, did this duo just create a new genre?  So far, the only band I could compare them to is Poliça, a synth-pop band from Minneapolis. “Key Lime Crime” plays into a jazzier, pop style with its off beats and time signatures. I loved Salomone’s bass lines in this one, not to mention Mizani’s fluid, shuffling drum rolls. Next up is “Artic Waves” – a nice smooth and mellow trip, slow in rhythm but big in its spacious, echoey vibe. The structure or how this song was written, reminds me a little of the trippy ‘90s sounds of Portishead or perhaps the Breeders?

“Asleep” starts off with a synth effect that sounds like outer space and a bass line that’s catchy and fun. The way Salomone’s bass sounds reminds me of Edgar Winter’s bass/synth a la “Frankenstein.” Mizani’s drums are crisp and tight – the two just sound like they were made for each other – and with the synths layered on top the way they are, you get one hell of a unique style of music. “Carried Away” is heavy on the groove, complete with thick and meaty bass lines and nice drum action.

​“Hypophobia” features tight rim shots on the snare and smooth, warm bass lines. The sound to this song is really trippy and mysterious and it has more of an acid jazzy, experimental style. Lastly there is, “Cotton Candy Pink” and it’s perhaps one of those good ice breaker songs for those who may need something that has a familiar structure or style – think alternative pop – but I could be just grasping at straws here. Whatever you categorize them as, all I know is that I dig this band! Maybe it’s the fact that they layered all those bass and looper pedals together, I don’t know. But I came away with a renewed hope that there is no limit to music. Some Discoloration has all the colors of the rainbow, and then some.

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