EP REVIEW: Errant – Errant

Errant, a project and self-titled EP from multi-instrumentalist Rae Amitay (IMMORTAL BIRD) is an exploration into some of the performers more brooding, melancholy ideas. The record sets in motion a wash of emotional and expressive themes without adhering to any clear cut genre’s, rather adding black metal, grunge, doom and shoegaze together.

The Amorphic Burden starts with a melancholy, trudging melody that swiftly gives way to deep, ripping vocals. The overall emotional punch is vibrant, moody and deceptively complex. Being a solo project, it’s impressive how much detail is retained in each instrument, as everything gives way to a clean channel and a moment of quiet before the final ramp up into the more black metal, shoegaze elements of this track. There are elements of bands like MØL in here, but there’s a less tethered and coherent feel to ERRANT.

We keep in the same tonal pallet in A Vacillant Breath, though the vocals as considerably softer and cleaner, in an ethereal shift that makes things feel more paced, resulting into a gradual picking up of the pace into more technically dimensional playing that creeps up on you before you even know about it.

There’s potentially a more experimental side to Oneirodynia, with some really experimental time signatures and phrases that make then piece feel much more psychedelic. The leanings towards a much more free flow, practically jazz style movement, that feels like the bastard offspring of KING CRIMSON and EPHEL DUATH. It’s attractive if you’re interested in the off kilter, but might disengage some. Errant’s final track Saturday Saviour is a cover of Amitay’s favourite track by FAILURE. It retains the strange eeriness that this whole EP has looked to achieve, but conforms to a more traditional grunge rock feel, with a little less punch behind it. It’s nice enough, but really lacks the tonal conviction of the original three songs.

A solid piece of personal work from Rae Amitay, ERRANT, both as a record and a project, has a good foundation in Amitay’s evident musical talents. Being such a personal delve into musical avenues you might not expect, this will be a chalk and cheese experience depending on how invested you are in experimental music and a lack of genre boundaries. This EP isn’t looking to be anything or change perceptions, it’s just enjoying the things that make music unusual and expressive.

Rating: 7/10

Errant is out now via Manatee Rampage Recordings.

Like ERRANT on Facebook.