The first track, Pre-Show, I assumed was perhaps a preamble to a more complex electronic song to come. Weaving in and out of frequencies, a tiny key stab lulls us to a slow BPM, and I am surprised that five minutes has passed when the song ends. Although the song is simple, there are layers of percussion, keys, what sounds like a wooden block, all intermingling for attention. Dub, ambient and minimal electronic music all seem to have influenced The Seizure Police’s vision of how an EP should be introduced.

Rise begins with a NASA vocal sample (included for review is a version of the song without this sample) which brings associations of space travel, strengthened by the inclusion of artwork from the Hubble Telescope of distant galaxies. A beat never fully develops, and I am glad of it. It is an interesting track that simply exists, beautifully outlying a fractured chord, then breaks down on itself like a collapsed star.

The third track E Scape begins a little differently, perhaps more cinematically. A nostalgic and melodramatic chord joins a complex beat, complete with large snare hits and snappy high hats. The track unfolds, and when the percussion leaves, the listener can really hear the complexity of the harmony that has begun to sound like a music-box. There is a charming element here, but the association isn’t space travel but rather memory and nostalgia. I could be wrong, but the subjective nature of instrumental music is both its advantage and disadvantage... We seem at this point to be looking backward.

The final track, the interestingly titled Arrival features some strongly phased samples and a vocal snippet from a child speaking. Descending frequencies taken from what sounds like a bell take us into strange waters indeed. Altogether, it's hard to know whether this is a reference to Stanley Kubrick’s universe baby from ‘Space Odyssey 2001’ or not, but the phasing bells are truly dis-concerting. Again, the passing of time seems to be a prominent feature.

Perhaps it's an odd way to end this space related trip, but after listening through again, I can see the title as reference to waking again from deep meditation. After listening once more with eyes closed, from end to end, I can say now that the order of the songs on this release is probably for the best, as I can’t see Arrival fitting anywhere else but last.

Overall, the EP is satisfying in its simplicity. There are layers there to be discovered that don’t immediately come to the foreground and can be discovered on repeat listens. New Zealand’s Pitch Black may have been an influence on the sound, as well as ambient techno pioneers The Orb. What is impressive here is what is left out. Half the tracks are without a beat, and so the melodies wander but not aimlessly.

Inspiring stuff, worthy of a meditation.

• 1
  L.A.B.
• 2
  Coridian
• 3
  Corrella
• 4
  Devilskin
• 5
  The Black Seeds
• 6
  Katchafire
• 7
  Blindspott
• 8
  The Feelers
• 9
  Fat Freddy's Drop
• 10
  Written By Wolves

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• 
  Saint Martins @ Space Academy, Christchurch - 17/09/2023

• 1
  PAINT THE TOWN RED
  Doja Cat
• 2
  STRANGERS
  Kenya Grace
• 3
  GREEDY
  Tate McRae
• 4
  SPRINTER
  Dave And Central Cee
• 5
  SNOOZE
  SZA
• 6
  VAMPIRE
  Olivia Rodrigo
• 7
  BLUE EYED M?ORI
  Corrella
• 8
  CRUEL SUMMER
  Taylor Swift
• 9
  SLIME YOU OUT
  Drake feat. SZA
• 10
  WATER
  Tyla

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