Spiral Pier

In only four songs, Spiral Pier showcases a broad range of styles and skills. Despite the bold melodicism and jazzy progressions, this earworm-heavy and thoroughly rewarding collection manages to find a relatable groove with each composition. Every song employs odd time signatures and mid-line key changes, yet the songs always find glorious moments of cohesion. 

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Switching up the instrumentation allows for an impressive range over the course of Cash Payment. Opener “Accumulator” wears its Sufjan Stevens influence proudly, implementing jittery electronic elements over a whisper-sung melody. “Heavy Little Quill” shimmers like a baroque Of Montreal – a comparison that returns over the remainder of the EP. Title track “Cash Payment” pushes the dynamics ever so slightly, but the music still resides comfortably in its peculiar nook of twisting lines and rhythms, preferring to generate tension through curious melodicism rather than volume.

 

Every instrument is played with delicacy and supreme skill. Each sound shines through and receives almost equal attention in the mix – a near perfect balance, which is accomplished due to the precision and restraint of each player. Sounds layer and weave through one another, and each part contributes to the whole in an ideal synergy. Spiral Tier is primarily a solo project, but there are six musicians listed as contributors to these four songs, and they play extremely well together.

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These nine minutes of music are clearly labored over, yet played with a levity that allows the joy of playing and collaborating to shine through. It’s gently difficult music that proves increasingly rewarding with every listen.