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WRENS: Jazz meets trap in chaotic sonic fusion
20 Nov
Summary
- The jazz-rap ensemble WRENS crafts a dense, chaotic, and thrilling sophomore album.
- Their latest work, 'Half of What You See,' blends electroacoustic abstraction with casual humor.
- The album masterfully recontextualizes trap and drill lines within a jazz framework.
The jazz-rap ensemble WRENS has released their second album, 'Half of What You See,' a work described as dense, chaotic, and thrilling. It masterfully fuses electroacoustic abstraction with a grounding sense of casual humor and intentional collaboration, managing to be one of the year's most unique singles in either genre.
The album sees frontman Ryan Easter recontextualizing elements of trap and drill within a jazz setting, layering masks of different personas. Despite its complexity, WRENS utilizes their musical chops and taste to maintain sincerity throughout the record. This is a departure from their debut, 'alligator shoes [on flatbush],' which sometimes felt maximalist for its own sake.
'Half of What You See' offers a more patient and intentional approach. Tracks like "Longbow" showcase electronics complementing the music without intruding on harmonic conversations. The album allows individual performers' personalities to emerge from the collective sound, creating a dynamic and engaging listening experience.
