★★★☆☆ (3.5/5)
Introducing Hello, 4am. Formed of band members Branden Oak and Jess Burchett, the band - from Elon, North Carolina - channel contemporary alternative sounds and 80's pop in a primal and dreamlike manner, with a dashing of reverb to season. Their debut self-release 'Keeping Warm' is a direct piece of work, combining thick vocal layers with cohesive guitar lines to accompany to minimal textures and ambiences employed.
The spaciousness and minimalism is something Hello, 4am make apparent from the opening track 'Rain', laden with sweet vocal harmonies, fingersnaps and reverberant guitars almost to the point of overkill. It's one of the more repetitive offerings from the EP, although things are made much more interesting in the subsequent tracks 'Truth and Dare' and 'Hand Me Downs'. It's the title track - 'Keeping Warm' - that stands out from the pack however: the washed out synth melodies complementing the guitar-led ambiences and tranquil vocals very nicely. The lyrics are introspective and thoughtful, complementing the sombre mood created. The after-hours feel of the music will soothe you to sleep, should you be listening on the wrong side of midnight.
There are some inconsistencies: the washed-out production style isn't the clearest and I'd have liked to have seen some more adventurous instrumentation choices. But the raw, reverb-on-steroids type of alt pop that Hello, 4am have crafted is both refreshing, and somewhat self-reflecting to listen to. If you count artists such as Tycho, the xx and Maggie Rogers among your regular listening, then maybe you should add Hello, 4am to that list.
'Keeping Warm' - Hello, 4am is out now. Stream the EP below:
