Inmyths –
Scarcity (Independent)
Inmyths are an intriguingly named six-member strong
group from Lisbon, Portugal. Led by Hugo Almeida, they play a contemporary
progressive style of folk-rock music, which has been compared to the work of
David Sylvian, though there’s something a little more substantial to Inmyths,
something easier to pin down, though no less engrossing.
Rooted in folk music, insofar as acoustic instruments
are at the forefront of their sound, the layering of rhythms, strings,
keyboards and vocals is calming and reassuring; yet dramatic twists and turns
provide plenty of excitement. Separated into four parts, their episodic
approach to “Scarcity” is interesting, though it hardly impacts on the
listener, and the song flow feels natural and organic.
Lyrically, Almeida covers a range of subjects, some a
little unexpected. “I Want to Be an Alien” is a particularly eye-catching
title, and its Radiohead-esque sonic ambience adds to its otherworldly,
off-kilter appeal. They begin the album with the instrumental “Underway”. Piano takes the lead, and tension is built
and released, almost as if it was written to accompany a particularly anxious
scene in a film – probably a thriller. “Laymen”
concludes the opening section, its measured pace, forthright electric guitar
and backing vocals providing a serious highlight.
It’s a collection that’s never less that absorbing,
and when everything comes together – song, instrumentation, arrangement – as
they do repeatedly, “Scarcity” is an album that can happily stand alongside the
work of any of the artists previously mentioned.
Phil S.
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