aaamusic | On 05, Nov 2011

It is hard to get a big picture from one track, but if there’s one thing Juffage do on ‘Small Fires’, it can’t be criticised as minimal. Starting with an immense synth and drums intro that brings to mind a more thickly-textured, psychedelic Muse, as pop hooks and a constant rock percussion are drenched in layer upon layer of almost classical style organ melodies and thick arrangements. There are vocals, but in the manner of 90s shoegaze, they feel more like another instrument than the frontpiece, as they are dinstinctly melodic, yet too lost in the mix to really bring attention to themselves. And really, that’s my gripe: yes, psych and shoegaze are both styles clearly apparent here and ones that are renowned for heavy use of just about everything in equal measures with no real priority other than sonic density, but the effect here isn’t so much heady as just muddy, and despite its promise, this track ends up being strangely unfulfilling. I love the intro, but one the song kicks in, the instrumentation takes a back seat but the vocals aren’t strong enough to carry the track, and by the end it all just fizzles out. I am intrigued as to whether ‘Small  Fires’ would make more sense in the context of its sibling tracks, but I wouldn’t say I’ve been excited by it enough to work up much effort.

 

Katie H-Halinski