Canary Complex, the solo musical project of Kasey, guitarist of the band Flood District, has released a lush, vibrant, and truly progressive indie alt rock album titled “The Tragic Dance of Dying Leaves“. His music blends indie and alternative rock with the baroque pop and chamber pop genres but includes wide influences, from Japanese visual kei to bossa nova, 80’s goth to French chansons, modern indie rock to 60’s baroque pop.
The album is a tasty intoxication concoction of post-punk, dream pop, alternative rock, chamber, and baroque pop, which I daresay can be termed progressive indie rock. The eight-song album is around 30 minutes long and is a beautiful sonic canvas and aural heaven, comprising soft tones and tight drums, energetic power, fantastic diverse production, and rhythmic and melodic genius creating a feast for the ears.
“Tragic Dance” is a true Impressionist work of art as Canary Complex intended, which cross the boundaries of genres and pushes music in terms of what can be envisioned from the existing rich indie and alternative rock music traditions while being musical to the core. It is both cerebral and emotional, making it an opus of progressive indie rock. The baritone tenor vocals of Kasey range from subtle emotional vocals to rock rasps, reminiscent of The Smiths and Morrissey to Robert Smith, and the jangling guitar tones are balanced with power and joy.
The album begins with “EDEN,” a song that has a retro indie rock feel with timbres that combine the old and new, creating modern nostalgic indie rock. It has light, beautiful textures, and great incorporation of spoken samples to musical effect. The song showcases the artist’s knack for great song flow and dynamics, which is evident at the 1.57 mark. “Golden Gate” begins with acoustic guitars and baritone vocals, which are evocative and expressive, adding punk energy to indie pop. The sharp guitars and drum rhythms by Canary Complex get you energized, while the chords and harmony are ecstatic and eclectic.
“Song of Healing” has the acoustic guitar as a prominent arrangement element, creating an indie rock ballad that keeps you guessing as to where the song flow is heading. It is a soft piece but with energy and tight drumming. “The Endless” is a very calm, sober acoustic-reliant number with stunning production that showcases the artist’s impressive technical ability. “For Evergreen” starts with catchy guitar rhythms and drums that elevate the rhythm and push the song forward, blended with the pink-washed tones.
“Bel Esprit” begins almost like a rock lullaby, features some insane technical drumming, but has dreamscaping melodic and harmonic lines. The song concludes with some power-packed vocals that show off the artist’s range. “Parasol (deep sky)” has chord changes that are out of this world, and it would please technical music lovers. The song ends with several diverse samples and percussions, creating an atmospheric vibe that transports the listener to another world. “The Alchemist (feat. abbytheoboist)” is the perfect swan song, containing all signature elements of Canary Complex. It features classical-style guitar with some French spoken verse, insane percussion and rhythms, and showcases the artist’s technical ability once again.
“The Tragic Dance of Dying Leaves” is an insane album! In terms of composition, whether it be drums, tones, melodic, harmonic aspects, or production, it is a masterpiece. The magic of the record is the rhythmic and drum parts, which make the songs a delight to savor. Canary Complex is a songwriting and musical genius, and there is no doubt about that. The album is not only an Impressionist work of art as the artist intended but a true progressive masterpiece.
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