Rockfreaks.net

Kali Masi

[laughs]

Written by: PP on 15/08/2021 14:26:39

Kali Masi is a band that's been stirring up buzz on their sophomore album "[Laughs]", thanks to a complex soundscape that blends together the depth-laden songwriting of Thrice's modern albums with the emotional charge and indie-flavored alternative rock of newer output by The Menzingers. The resulting expression is one of thoughtful, contemplative ambiance that's balanced against strong Midwestern emo vibes with a good amount of pop punk mixed in for good measure.

As you might imagine, it means "[Laughs]" is quite a challenging listen, more so than most of its genre associates. Its lyrical universe is equally intricate, with complicated stories packed with metaphors and allegory across the board. Singer Sam Porter's candid voice is somewhere between soothing and strained, displaying an impressive range that enables the right amount of edge when powerful delivery is needed, but generally just delivers an outstanding performance that few peers are capable of throughout the record.

Balladic at times, reaching deep into The Swellers style alternative rock melodies elsewhere ("Long Term"), the record's mid-tempo cuts feel like a good bottle of wine: thoroughly enjoyable, but with a nagging feeling that it could be even better given enough time to mature. Indeed, on songs like "Paint Me Jade" and "Freer", Kali Masi sounds like a band on the verge of a breakthrough, like a unit that's just about to crack the formula to produce a masterpiece. I'm getting similar vibes here as on "Chamberlain Waits" before The Menzingers recorded one of the best-ever albums in the genre with "On The Impossible Past". As such, the key takeaway from "[Laughs]" is its potential: the singer is fantastic, and the songwriting is highly ambitious despite the emo/alternative genre that it finds itself in. The next album will be fantastic, you read it first here.

Download: Paint Me Jade, Long Term, Still Life, Freer
For the fans of: The Menzingers, Modern Baseball, The Swellers, Thrice
Listen: Facebook

Release date 26.03.2021
Take This To Heart Records