Analogue Transit: Kwaku Aning (l) and Jeff Shreiner
Can analog and digital techniques co-exist? For Analogue Transit – vocalist-guitarist Kwaku Aning and keyboardist-production wiz Jeff Shreiner – the answer is not only a resounding yes, but it's a necessary pairing. Gearheart is a nine song collection in which baby grand pianos clash with 21st Century electronics, buzzsaw guitars mesh with dreamy landscape sounds and soulful vocals are playfully manipulated with rich string arrangements. 'Blackout Artist', with its dizzingly array of muted vocals and quirkly synths, is brilliant update of all of the good things that was Brit pop in the late 80s. 'Ways' is driven by a deceptively dirty guitar riff and 'Breathe' is a gorgeous ballad that wisely incorporates light piano and a terrific string score. 'Home' is clearly the album's centerpiece track. It has a simple refrain, 'Can you find my our way home'?/Help me find our way home', but like all great songs, it remains in your brain long after its over.
Analogue Transit challenges you to go on on journey to somewhere you never been, but yet hauntingly familar. I can assure you that after listening to Gearheart, it's a ride worth taking.
Here's a taste of the group's sound, via their song "Home."
–review by Earl Douglas
Additional links:
- Gearheart is available now on iTunes
- Check out www.analoguetransit.com for more information.
