Review by William Dibble, images and video by Smoke From All the Friction
The music scene in Raleigh, NC, is a vibrant and diverse place. While it may feel like the metal scene gets all the press coverage, there are a number of artists in other genres. Smoke From All The Friction is one such artist. SFAtF is a indie rock band that combines elements of dark pop, rock, and electronic music that was born from the minds of two talented musicians.
Smoke From All the Friction has an established hit single, “Cross & Tattoo,” that plays on several local radio stations. “Cross & Tattoo” is a rhythmic and soothing track that is easy on the ears. It combines soft electronic beats with a soft, clean vocal track. It is a bit heavy on bass, but that mostly serves to emphasize the tempo and rhythm. If you were to take the band Owl City and combine it with indie rock elements, you would have a rough idea of what to expect from this track in the best possible way.
Their new single, “The Clumsiest Waltz”, opens with a combination of vocalizations and piano. The song focuses not on love, or coming of age, in a direct sense, but more about one aspect of relationships. Smoke From All the Friction discusses and covers the fact that two people may not meet all of each other’s needs and expectations, and also that this is okay. “The Clumsiest Waltz” is musically appropriate to this theme, as well. It is soft and poignant, and almost has an ambient feel to it. A person could easily visualize a relationship-themed montage as they are listening. This ambient feel also applies to the drums, and continues through the end of the song. It is a mesmerizing and fantastic track.
As far as local pop and electronic bands go, Smoke From All the Friction is definitely one to keep an eye on. The leveling and mastering in the tracks keeps each instrument easily separated from the others, allowing you to enjoy both the instrumental aspects and the vocals without struggling to listen. This is something that is not always achieved by groups, with the vocals sometimes getting lost in electronic beats, so it is definitely an achievement. Pick up their music on ReverbNation today!
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