Melbourne/Naarm’s Uncle Umma’s debut EP blends familiar sounds to create an extremely impressive five song offering.
First time releases can often be statements of intention by artists. A proclamation of what potential listeners can come to expect from the artist going forward. In Uncle Umma’s case that intention is clear. Their goal is to take you on a journey with their take on a more classic style of psychedelia. The psych rock genre is one that is deeply engrained into the city’s music DNA. Its influence can be felt in every pub in the northern suburbs on any given night. This influence is evident throughout all 5 tracks as the familiar effects driven guitar work is on full display. Paired with a more laid-back drum mix, the use of Psychedelia feels less in your face and more of a guiding force to help you sit back in a trance. More vintage Pink Floyd than a more modern Psych band such as Thee Oh Sees.
The energy over the course of Naked Faces is pretty consistent, however subtle changes on the instrumentation offers enough diversity to give each song a distinct feel. For example, the change between the track Walking On Gems and Charades. While the instrumental tone and textures carry over from the songs, Walking on Gems offers up a more progressive Dance-y drum beat that put the listener into a groove whilst Charades inserts an acoustic guitar as the driving force, presenting a more emotional side of the band. Furthermore, the addition of the final track (Hide & Seek) being a live rendition adds another layer of variance that showcases the band under different circumstances. A rawer approach that doubles as an appetiser for listeners to what a live show from Uncle Umma could bring.
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