By Charlie Maybee
Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, singer-songwriter Eric Carranza has formed a new alternative rock project under the name Jest and released their debut single “Wait” on February 25. Sporting fuzzy tones that screech and wail, it is a shift into a more raucous sound that charges forward with abandon.
“I really missed being loud and think that played a big part in how the songs came out of me. These songs are quite a departure from my last few releases with other projects, which ranged from ambient sound art, indie pop, and electronic jazz fusion. I recorded the album at my favorite studio, Honeytone, in Neeneah WI, and got together with a few of my favorite people who I played with in other bands,” Carranza said.
Atop the chugging guitars and cymbal crashes, there’s a soft melody that permeates the entire track with a more laid-back energy. With such a stark contrast between the vocals and the instrumentation, there is a natural depth and current to it that feels like seamless floating on white water rapids.
Despite the driving rock and roll energy and off-kilter rhythms, it does not feel so immediately confrontational and leaves space for a sense of introspection and contemplation. With lines like “Wait, I regret to break the news again / Wait, I can tell you got lot to say,” that round out the chorus, it leaves space for the inevitable response from the listener.
“Wait” is available on major streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and Distrokid. The accompanying music video is also available on YouTube, and the full album “Behaviors” is now available for preorder on the Jest band website. Follow our Alchemical Multigenre Mixdown playlist for more great music featured on the site.
Charlie Maybee is a dancer, musician, educator, and writer based in Charleston, South Carolina who currently teaches with the Dance Program at the College of Charleston. His primary work as an artist is with his performing collective, Polymath Performance Project, through which he makes interdisciplinary performance art that centers tap dance as the primary medium of expression and research. He also currently plays rhythm guitar for the Charleston-based punk band, Anergy, and releases music as a solo artist under the name Nox Eterna.
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Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
