Steady State - Steady State

​Steady State

​Steady State 
self-released; 2017

​3.8 out of 5

By Rebecca Rothschild

Steady State's self titled album Steady State is an interesting alternative/punk album with personal and political narratives. The album is heavily based in electronic sounds that are ambient and for the most part teeter on the dark side. There is a touch of nostalgia for the synth rock of decades past, specifically the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Their lyrical element was by far my favorite part of this album. I love when they're not afraid to get highly abstract and even a little cosmic. You get that right off the bat with the first track "Dark Matter" which doesn't have a lot of lyrics, but when they come, there is a very broad minded view communicated. On the flip side, there are political statements that are deliciously savage.

This album was inspired by events of the last ten months, and you can take a guess as to what some of those events might be. The political tracks definitely adopt more of the early punk elements of the music. "Lower" is a great example of the political factor that is so blunt and unforgiving, I couldn't help but enjoy it.

The music on this album is good, I was happy to be listening to it, but it is a little hard for me to pinpoint what it is about this band that is distinctive. Their sound is one I like, however I like it because I have heard it from other bands, it's a well established aesthetic, and has been for a while.

There are so many possibilities when it comes to electronic based music, I feel there could have been tweaks made to create a more unique signature. I think playing up the guitar work and bringing it more front and center might have been a good start.

The other issue I had with this album is the mixing and mastering which may have assisted in the music not always finding it's complete potential. This album was essentially a home recording project with "nothing fancy" done. Sometimes it doesn't take much, but in this particular instance, I think there was a need for a little extra polish. As I said, I really loved the lyrics, but I often struggled to find them among the heavy reverb and industrial sounds. These days so much can be done with so little as far as audio production. Perhaps an additional collaborator can assist in future projects who can add a more professional touch. I would love to hear this album with a different set of hands doing the mixing, it could be a completely different experience. 

If you're a fan of the early ‘80s punk movement, or just enjoy something subversive and brooding, this is a good album for you. The album is cohesive and has a very consistent attitude that I appreciated.

Obviously I felt there was room for improvement, but there is a good foundation in terms of collaboration and messaging.

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