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Music Review: TexMex Shaman – Fever in the South EP


    TexMex Shaman - Fever in the South EP-2

    TexMex Shaman decides not to bother with either today’s rock mainstream or its indie counterpart, choosing to reconnect to the flinty, defiant spirit that lays in the heart of rock and roll’s classic records of the ’70s and ’80s.

    The artist also becomes creative in deciding not to opt for a straight revival of a past era. On his new EP, Fever in the South, the opening track “Yeah, they deliver” shuffles and lopes into a lazy beat, providing a welcome dose of wild rhythms although it hums along to an easy, laid-back tempo, favoring soft, hazy harmonies and layered guitars. As a production, it’s pretty difficult to resist; it’s as supple and comforting as a favorite old chair.

    On this EP, the sound is so alluring, it’s easy to overlook how many songs simply glide by with an invisible musical spirit. TexMex Shaman adds just enough dimension, mystery and emotions that still linger when the records turn and ease into something a little simpler.

    Lots of funky rhythms showcase a strong element in the warm, enveloping production of the EP. With a song like “What it do” it’s a record that gets by on feel, not just structure, which means that it doesn’t provide any distinguishing hooks, but it does sound amazingly good as it plays.

    Within the confines of a song like “Peking Bass (indahouze mix),” TexMex Shaman ranges wildly. Clattering drum mixes  with flickering synth lines, distorted vocals, and the danceable energy above it all toggles the thin line between dreams and nightmares.

    Granted, every song on this EP could be perceived as fetishizing the distant past, given the artist’s fondness for vintage instrumentation and retro eccentricity. But this thematic weight gives the songs an overarching purpose and provides some context for TexMex Shaman’s typically bizarre and unique songwriting capabilities.

    Fever in the South is not your everyday music as it deserves special listening moments. The music doesn’t hint at what’s to come with every passing minute. One moment it’s sun-warmed and bright, and the next it’s chilly and haunted. And this characteristic of the artist’s tendency to never let a pretty song get too normal is what separates him from his musical peers.

    TexMex Shaman - Fever in the South EP-3

    Listen on SoundCloud: TexMex Shaman – Fever in the South EP

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