Indie-electronic duo Smoke Season has now recorded two EPs. The third, Ouroboros, consists of four tracks, as well as both an intro and outro. Members Gabrielle Wortman and Jason Rosen describe their style as "Electro Soul with a shot of whisky." Wortman was also the lead singer of an electronic band, TEMP3ST, and Rosen was formerly the keyboardist of pop-rock band Honor Society.
Smoke Season previously released EP Hot Coals Cold Souls in July 2014, including songs "Badlands," "Opaque," "Simmer Down" and "Fool's Gold." They also released "Bees" in March 2015. Now, a year later, they released their Ouroboros EP with tracks "Loose," "When the Smoke Clears," "Emilia" and "Santa Rosa." Smoke Season has also released four music videos, two of which are from Ouroboros.
Their first main track, "Loose," is a great mix of soothing and soulful sound. The song's beginning and end, as well as a small portion of the middle, are softer and build up with passionate vocals and more instrumentals. Wortman shows off her vocal range seamlessly switching from high to mid range. "Loose" also includes multiple background beats throughout the track, adding an interesting layer to it.
"When the Smoke Clears" has a solely electronic intro that translates into the background music during the song and there are well-done harmonies between Wortman and Rosen. The chorus has a vibe that can be described as feel-good and the track's percussion only adds to the movement of the piece. One can clearly hear the passion in Wortman's singing, as well as the intricate accompaniment.
"Emilia" perfectly switches up the sound from the previous tracks, adding more variety and appeal. The song is lighter and freer than "Loose" and "When the Smoke Clears." Its percussion is slower and deeper and despite multiple overlays of Wortman's vocals harmonizing with one another, the track is stripped down from the intricacies of other tracks on Ouroboros. Although the song does switch things up, it still includes Wortman's signature high vocal range and easy harmonies with Rosen, as well. Finally, there is a beat change in the last minute of the song that keeps things fresh and new.
"Santa Rosa" is the most upbeat of the songs, yet it still blends well with the others. The bridge temporarily slows things down in a lower range that is only changed with a big build and intense chorus. The chorus matches up Wortman's vocals with percussive spots timed well with one another. "Santa Rosa" also has a refreshing extended instrumental break that transitions into a lighter, softer and more muffled ending.
Ouroboros also includes an instrumental intro and outro that add to Smoke Season's sound and vibe, tying everything in well together.
Ouroboros is available for iTunes pre-sale and will be in stores April 15, 2016. You can learn more about the band on their website or Amazon.com.