Following several months in the wake of the release of their live EP comes Backdoor Amber’s official debut project “Modern Space Indie”. Presumably a reference to the genre blend they hail beneath, the EP follows somewhat ardently in the wake of their fellow indie contemporaries. A melodic combination of indie-rock, ska and just a hint of psych stylings, their overall sound slots neatly into a category already rather oversaturated – but there still remains the intrepid possibility for the band to worm their way up.
An acoustic build up launches the EP into existence on ‘Questions’, whose varying melodic pace and composition catches interest within seconds. Unpredictable and a little meandering, the melody follows an off-kilter path – never quite returning whence it came. Front man Juan Khan’s vocals are roughened and blunt but somehow fit the band’s overall charm just so – although there are moments when they run into dangerously flat territory. ‘Suffice’, the only track taken from their previous release, is built upon a foundation of catchy indie hooks. Naked guitar work finds a bouncing midline and proceeds with clarified precision. Prosaic lyrics make up for the occasional melodic slide into monotony, “I’m flying to the moon with a spaceship in my head.”
‘Testing You’ brings an old school guitar riff into play, backed by a comfortable baseline. Grooving and slow it holds faint whiffs of lazy summer days and tiny acoustic stages. Thematically revolving around the tests society and life in general throw your way, this track solidifies itself as one of the most memorable on the EP.
Dominated by whining guitar and rather same-y indie riffs, ‘Hey’ doesn’t quite hit the intended spot. Stretching the span of almost 7 minutes it ventures far too deep into quintessential terrain. ‘Carry Me (Home)’ on the other hand, wrenches the EP firmly back onto its feet. A chiming ukulele backbone is paired with silvery synths to produce a lulling, albeit perfectly executed, track, kept awake by Khan’s delightfully roughened vocals to bring the project to a gentle conclusion.
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Listen to “Modern Space Indie” below.
