{"id":987,"date":"2015-12-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-12-14T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.nysmusic.com\/2015\/2015\/12\/14\/hearing-aide-lespecial-omnisquid\/"},"modified":"2015-12-14T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2015-12-14T00:00:00","slug":"hearing-aide-lespecial-omnisquid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.nysmusic.com\/2015\/2015\/12\/14\/hearing-aide-lespecial-omnisquid\/","title":{"rendered":"Hearing Aide: lespecial “Omnisquid”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Boston-based death-funk trio lespecial<\/a> released their first, full-length studio album titled Omnisquid<\/em> on November 20. It invites listeners to follow on a sonic voyage of nautical proportions. lespecial is Luke Bemand (bass, vocals, synth) Rory Dolan (drums, percussion, sampler) and Jonathan Grusauskas (guitar, vocals, sampler, synth).<\/p>\n

The album tells a story of extra-terrestrial beings commandeering the minds of giant squids which rise from the ocean to wreak havoc and destruction upon the populace. This storyline plays out through a heavy soundscape with, at times, playful, nautical inspired riffs and beats that make the listener feel like they\u2019re in an underwater dancehall. lespecial has created a world with this album and it\u2019s oceanic inspirations are evident.<\/p>\n

The first track on the album, \u201cFruit Wolf Dance,\u201d opens with a haunting, aquatic groove building into a driving onslaught of the trio\u2019s instrumental talents. This driving force has moments of respite allowing for each instrument to shine yet remain cohesive. Halfway through, the track takes a turn showcasing their electronic sample proficiency with bubble-like pops and the live-trap drumming lespecial has become known for. The live-trap and sample sounds coalesce into the heavier tone found earlier in the song making for a seamless display of the genre bending this band is capable of. Bemand has stated previously that this album is a return to their musical roots, showcasing “a heavier vibe throughout.\u201d<\/p>\n

The second number, \u201cSquid Rising,\u201d introduces the listener to the story of the giant squids with noticeable seafaring compositions and Bemand\u2019s thick basslines amidst the recordings of news reports of the squid\u2019s destruction. Following up the tale\u2019s intro is the title track, \u201cOmnisquid,\u201d a frenetic serenade of layered guitar riffs and polyrhythmic drumming. \u201cOptimus Prime Slot\u201d features some industrial-heavy drum programming by fellow Boston-based music-maker, Rob Uslan aka Supersillyus, and make for an excellent juxtapose to Grusauskas\u2019 pinching guitar riffs and eerie vocals.<\/p>\n

\u201cSugaboi\u201d is a jamtronica laden track, again displaying the bands diverse and ample capability of playing different styles which they seem to be poking fun at with the overlay of a recording stating \u201csee there\u2019s some question about my identity\/ let me put it to ya this way\/ I\u2019m not sure who I am.\u201d Possibly answering that question is the following, \u201cLeaps Evil,\u201d where Dolan\u2019s drumming keeps an excellent, relentless pace amongst Grusauskas\u2019 soaring vocals and Bemand\u2019s standout bass riffs. \u201cShips in the Night\u201d feels like a reprieve from the repetitive build and crash that previous tracks include, giving way to the album\u2019s first pre-release single, \u201cNew Fish.\u201d Sliding bass and a wonky guitar vibe swell to a powerful, double-bass filled barrage fading out unrelenting. Like \u201cLeaps Evil,\u201d \u201cPressed for Time\u201d conveys lespecial\u2019s distinct command of differentiating time signatures and penchant for high-pitched vocal harmonies.<\/p>\n

Closing out the journey is the track \u201cAbsolutely Stunning,\u201d recounting a fisherman\u2019s tale of what he may or may not have seen. There\u2019s a very cinematic, \u201cend-of-times\u201d vibe to this track with the addition of a cello arrangement by Julian Lenz. The cello amplifies another build and release to the heaviness that lespecial has been touting the whole album. \u00a0Whilst weaving a tale of cephalopods taken over by aliens,\u00a0Omnisquid <\/em>most definitely exemplifies a return to form of contrasting time signatures and dark, heavy grooves. If you\u2019re in need of a cinematic auditory experience, lespecial\u2019s first full length has it.<\/p>\n

All songs on the album were written and performed by lespecial and all tracks recorded and mixed by Andrew Greacen at More Sound Recording Studio in Syracuse, NY except “Ships in the Night,” recorded and mixed at the Music Cellar in Millerton NY, and the\u00a0Morrison Gallery in\u00a0Kent, CT. All of the tracks were mastered by Jocko at More Sound Recording Studio in Syracuse, NY.<\/p>\n

Omnisquid<\/em> is available for direct download at lespecial.bandcamp.com\/album\/omnisquid<\/a> and also on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music and CD Baby.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Boston-based death-funk trio lespecial released their first, full-length studio album titled Omnisquid on November 20. It invites listeners to follow on a sonic voyage of nautical proportions. lespecial is Luke Bemand (bass, vocals, synth) Rory Dolan (drums, percussion, sampler) and Jonathan Grusauskas (guitar, vocals, sampler, synth). The album tells a story of extra-terrestrial beings commandeering […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_breakdance_hide_in_design_set":false,"_breakdance_tags":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9,138,298,2,292,10,135,86,8,96,139,173],"tags":[1111,2379,68],"class_list":["post-987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-album-reviews","category-beyond-nys","category-electronic","category-features","category-funk-soul-rb","category-genres","category-metal-hard-rock-punk","category-regions","category-reviews","category-rock","category-the-northeast","category-world-reggae","tag-lespecial","tag-omnisquid","tag-rock"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHearing Aide: lespecial "Omnisquid" - NYS Music 20\u200b15<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Boston-based death-funk trio lespecial released their first, full-length studio album titled Omnisquid on November 20.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.nysmusic.com\/2015\/2015\/12\/14\/hearing-aide-lespecial-omnisquid\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hearing Aide: lespecial "Omnisquid" - 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