Low Hum’s newest offering, Terra Incognita, is a windswept soundscape of electronica-based indie rock. The sounds bump, fizzle, and soar over the ten offerings.
The focus of artist Colin Desha, who also self-produced the record Terra Incognita, pushes up the electro sounds, taking inspiration from the likes of Tame Impala with songs/structures and overall dynamics. The tracks are all heavily layered with synths as each sound is stacked up, creating a large, pulsing vibe throughout.
Desha is very comfortable using big electro club beats, as the album’s first two singles can attest. Opener “Meet Me In The Sky” focuses those dance-ready sounds around the layers of synths to conjure up swirling sonics as Desha’s vocals float in and out while “Only If You Say” keeps the thumping party bumping and dancefloors filled.
The electro late-night party gets some rock injections as “Dead Weight” is big and echoing as it rolls slowly around, skittering drums and more synths. At the same time, “Sultry” moves faster with a bass groove and overdriven distorted guitars in a dance-laden, indie-rock fashion.
Less successful is when Desha slows things down in the middle of the record as “Got 2 Give” has a light drum machine beat, vocal ooh, and aah’s going for electro soothing, which never fully relaxes. At the same time, “Hints” delivers a soft buzzing, like industrial fluorescent lighting, illuminating in a dull fashion.
Better is the second half of Terra Incognita, when Desha taps into a Flaming Lips-inspired trio of efforts. “Waiting For The Wrong Time” gets swirling and psychedelic in fun fashion, “Blinders” keeps the freakout session rolling with tons of layers of sounds, and “Walking Sideways (Honest Room)” shoots for big arena rock with ripe guitars, more synths, and floating layers of vocals.
Low Hum wraps up the record with “Your Love,” which starts organically around strummed acoustic guitars. However, he can’t help himself as the ending kicks in electro-pop halfway through before receding to close Terra Incognita.
