Music Review // Hasten Mercy "Self-Titled (EP)" (Global Heist Recordings)

https://open.spotify.com/album/4nkbEpR3iRooqn4LUlfheJ?si=960j-mIjRY6371RwL_KGYA&nd=1 //

When first listening to this three song Self-Titled EP by Hasten Mercy, you should note the contrast between the electronic and acoustic sound within these songs.   What is interesting about this is that it isn't just about the guitars but rather there exists two sides to this music which often come out at the same time.  On one hand, there is the delicate strum of the acoustic guitar, giving this the feeling of a folk EP.   But at the same time there are beats and this makes it feel more like an electronic album in the sense that you might dance to it.

The melodies which can be constantly found underneath this electronic rhythm are along the lines of The Beatles, but with the way these beats move this also just sounds so much unlike anything that The Beatles have ever recorded.   There are elements of the combination of folk + electronics which make me think of that certain era of U2 or even more so of Folk Implosion, but not many artists are attempting this and those who are don't seem to be doing it quite as well.

There is a line between the "Juno" soundtrack and the "Trainspotting" soundtrack in which you can find Hasten Mercy.   While the first song- "Star You Are"- begins with all of the energetic youth of a sunrise, the second song- "These Things"- becomes more of a pulsating beat, which is slow and pretty.   What's even more fascinating is that as this EP goes on you feel like the second song might be more of a slower bridge but the third and final song is even more like an acoustic ballad that wants to be electronic, with big keys, just making the overall feeling at the end such a relaxing one.

A lot can be said about an EP in terms of how many songs are on it and how those songs can change because even with only three songs you can still change the pace quite a bit.   Hasten Mercy, however, has managed to find a way to create an EP which comes out of the gate with the most power and as it expands it begins to slow down and really sink in.   There is also this overall quality of positivity within this EP and that just makes it even more so feel like the type of music you would listen to when you first wake up and start your day off right.