Connor Pohl and TJ Rounthwaite make up Violet Night, an ambient-folk duo from the mighty land of British Columbia. Their breed of ambiance is sadder than most groups, scrunched together with pinpoint piano and left-over Death Cab For Cutie demos.
Their latest EP, I Hope You’re Well, starts off with “Wait,” a banger straight outta 1986. The song itself sounds like something Tom Delonge would have made with The Cure, and as strange as that description is, the track works well. Each time I listen, I like it more and more.
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The rest of the EP is a lighter shade of Coldplay, filled with vocal wailing and a certain sort of building pertinacity. The title track is a highlight, closing the EP on a fittingly somber note. Oddly enough, there’s a hint of emo and Blink 182 vibes to be found.
However, the hardest part of listening to Violet Night is their lack of exploring any other emotions besides angst and sad remorse. All four songs are made to make you feel things, yet, these things lack a sense of musical ingenuity. Violet Night pushes their influences to the forefront but need to come to better conclusions with what they pay homage to.
I Hope You’re Well is a good start.
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