Artist of the Day: Renaissance Sound

When I first stumbled on the work of Renaissance Sound last winter, I felt a rush of euphoria I'd only touched a select few times in my life. The band's unique mix of post/math-rock, jazz, and folk is warm, stimulating, and compelling--just as much today as it was the first time I ever heard it. Right now, I'm jamming to "Derek's Journey," the second track from the band's debut EP. It begins with the delicate plucks of a mandolin and gentle drizzles of percussion and keys before slight but emotional gang vocals rise over the instrumental tapestry: the string of solos following it is the highlight of the track, remarkably fluid and graceful. Not once does the music break the tricky balance between spontaneous inspiration and smart structure. It's clear throughout the release that we're in the hands of master songcrafters.

Anyhow, Renaissance Sound is closing out our Free Music February feature (if only February had a few more days), as its debut EP is FREE on the band's Bandcamp page. Meanwhile, I'm happy to announce that while I wasn't looking, the band snagged a signing to the up-and-coming Naked Ally Records and has an upcoming second EP coming on March 15, which looks to be even better. Go check both releases out if you want to know what this renaissance is all about.