West Without - ​I Want You

West Without

​I Want You
self-released; 2015

4.0 out of 5 - TOP ALBUM

By Ted Rogen 

The recent EP entitled I Want You by West Without is a unique release because it can resonate with the mainstream and the underground. You can hear traces of bands like Phoenix, Local Natives, Coldplay and The Chromatics. Suffice it to say I Want You is an exceptional EP that a lot of people will enjoy.

There is a lot to appreciate here. First off the singing is great. They changed singers from their first release but the band won't have to worry about that. Passionate, dynamic, and palatable are a couple of words that come to mind when I think about the vocals.Then there is the production, which is just top notch. There isn't much to say besides that it sounds great.

They open with "Red" which revolves around a hard-hitting steady beat, cascading synths, guitars, bass and exceptional vocals. The initial groove reminded me of The Chromatics. The vocal delivery is extremely soulful and the range is really impressive.

Next up is "Safe (in the arms),” which is a great song and is probably the most single worthy out of the batch. Its hits huge peaks; inspirational and catchy. You can hear a hint of new wave on "Slow" but it also contains the aesthetics of a band like Phoenix. It's another one for the win column. Great delivery, great singing and great songwriting.

I was already impressed by the first three songs but "Away From Us" blew me away. This is an exceptional song. It starts off sparse with synth and vocals but doesn't take long to build up energy. The song eventually get to a dance worthy groove that bursts with emotion. During the breakdown the vocalist sings, "a fire is burning a fever is rising." Towards the end the band even goes into post-rock territory.

There really is much else to say about this EP except you should already be listening if you haven't already.

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