Move over September 10th music releases, a new contender just entered the fray for album of the week. My favorite Brooklyn band, BLACK TAXI, is back with the first of a planned series of EP’s entitled Chiaroscuro and it is guaranteed to astound and stupefy.
Chiaroscuro begins with a banger much like BLACK TAXI’s debut did and similarly both “The Runner” off this EP and “Shoeshine” off Things Of That Nature begin with a scorching Bill Mayo guitar lick until Krisana Soponpong’s steady bass hops along adding to the beat. “The Runner”, however, is a futuristic jam unlike anything that’s come before.
“Gone” follows next and is the most “BLACK TAXI sounding” track on the record featuring some Ezra Huleatt trumpeteering and an almost Native American-style chant during the chorus. “Can’t Stop Shaking” enters next and is a snyth heavy track that instantly brings to mind a montage sequence from Miami Vice or at least something from the Drive soundtrack. The already released “House on Fire” is the last original here (Two remixes follow) and, now heard with the rest of the tracks on Chiaroscuro, makes perfect sense.
If this was a full-length, it’d be my album of the year. As an EP, it’s still pretty stellar and a great introductory lesson to a band you should already be in love with.
Chiaroscuro is out on September 10th.
Grade: A