Cassette Review // Erica Dawn Lyle "SYMPOIESIS"

https://ericadawnlyle.bandcamp.com/album/sympoiesis

This is the second cassette from Erica Dawn Lyle that I got at a show almost a year ago and it's nice to space out these reviews so much because it makes me feel like I'm right back at that show and I want to see all of those artists again.   This entire cassette is guitar-based and one of the only modern people I can think who has done this in a similar way- at a similar level- is Bob Bucko Jr.  

There are probably more people than any of us realize out there making solo guitar albums, but this has to be among the best because of the journey it takes you on.   The guitar is very loud and distorted, like Hendrix.  Blistering, this loud sort of bass beeping comes through on the second track.  Dark doom drops and then it's sharp.   The ride takes us up and down.   Now the song comes through in waves which grow louder.  To some extent, this is clanky and deeper bass comes through now.

On the flip side it sounds like distorted percussion to start, but I'm pretty sure this is all guitars with effects and the only other element in here is vocals.   There are some elements of FBMOF in here and then the singing comes through rather high pitched.   We begin to take a wild ride, like a carnival, and then there is a rambling sound.  A sharp distress signal comes through, then it flickers.  

The one thing I hear perhaps the most on these songs is not that they have a sound in terms of their musical qualities but rather they feel like something on a different level than that.  It's easy to think about guitar notes in terms of letters and tempos, but the way these songs come out don't feel like a music class as much as they have vibes.   The songs just send forth these feelings and that's really important because music should definitely make you feel something.