This week’s Fixation: ev ree wuhn’s debut EP: ev ree wuhn.

It’s high summer, deep in the night, and you’re driving by yourself on some lonely highway. Windows down, wind rushing in, no music, because you want to hear the sound of the world flying by. There isn’t so much as a leaf on the road, much less other cars, so you’re driving way too fast, because it just feels so damn good. As you’re whipping down this empty road, deep in this beautiful summer night, the streetlights flashing past overhead make patterns inside your car. Dark, light, dark, light, dark, light, dark, light….

Ev ree wuhn’s self-titled debut EP is the perfect soundtrack for such a moment — the motion of the car, the feel of the wind, the play of light across your face and the dashboard — it is the embodiment of the feeling you get when the world is quiet and you can sense it turning around you.

There is so much going on in each of the songs on this EP it is hard to know where to start talking about it. One of the first things that really grabbed my attention in ev ree wuhn’s music is the heartbeat that runs through their songs. I’m not talking about a heartbeat in any kind of metaphorical sense, I mean there is a literal “thump-thump” underlying many of the beats on the album, which gives the music a really organic, natural, living, feel. This heartbeat is most noticeable in the first track, “Soon Enough” (above), but a similar rhythm is present through most of the album, if you listen closely enough.

The basic design of ev ree wuhn’s songs is relaxed, graceful, light backbeats, mixed with throbbing bass heartbeats, all covered by ethereal, sometimes almost spiritual vocals.

However, the songs have such intricate layers to them, a close listening is really necessary in order to fully appreciate the incredible audio tapestry that the band weaves together. I’ve listened through the album several times, on my laptop, in a car, and with a good pair of headphones, and I cannot overemphasize how much difference the headphones make.

The EP is good when you listen on any old speakers, but if you can really immerse yourself in the music with a decent pair of headphones (or high quality speakers), the songs take on an entirely new character.

Hop on over to ev ree wuhn’s site and download a free copy of the EP, you won’t regret it!

See you next week!

– Zev