From Queens, NY emerges the duo of Ekra, comprised of a Mr. and Mrs. Press. Despite being a husband-wife pairing, Ekra take a shape far removed from what such a relationship would elicit. If their instrumental appearance were to garner any comparisons, they'd likely be to bass- and drum-centric outfits such as Dianogah and Lightning Bolt or, on inter-member-marriage terms, a parallel could be drawn from Jucifer. Despite their stage presence, on their sophomore effort Men, Ekra craft a trio of gradually unwinding and dynamic drone-rock sagas ceasing to approach tedium at their overall concise 33-minute span.
Communal warmth is carried by a surge of hand percussion and vocal harmonies in the opening seconds of "Tributary", swooning back and forth through layers of cavernous feedback. After an agitated swell, Ekra begin to exert the narcotic hymns lately manifested by Clipd Beaks. Established as a theme within Men, they indulge in wandering instrumentals characterized by intricate drumming, mounting drones, and sparse chords, disintegrating into found-sound. Taking shape of the album's primary anthem is "A Lil' Called Strength", a more vocally inclined foray that expresses, "I don't wish for death anymore, if we can appear flexible." This optimism is met with tense interplay, empowering the lyrical solace.
In the midst of luminescent keyboards and a lurching cadence on the closing "Ruble Blues" a glacial bass arpeggio peeks through, patiently escalating as it creeps along the fretboard. The union of these components evokes a scene frozen in time; a great deal of pain and triumph somehow coexist within that leading instrumental, blossoming into a spiraling chant engulfed in noise, "I am the next herd." The final seven minutes of Men consist of choice musicianship; a jam that heightens and decelerates, regaining composure in the residual whirr of amplifiers.
Ekra take cues from many sources (shoegaze, noise rock, late-90's indie rock among others), but they're obscured within a cohesive meld. Men is a remarkable crossbreed of sorts, placing Ekra in league with contemporary acts bearing elements of their aesthetic including Grooms, True Widow, and Pterodactyl. Prompted by earnest harmonies, impenetrably melodic bass, jazz-inspired drums, and a strong appetite for ghostly sonic accents, Ekra push the envelope.
[Ekra Website]
[Stream/Buy Men from Room12 Records]
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