Wonderful is a tremendously soulful effort on the latest album by Ferni, Afterburn; the track is one that needs little more than a piano and a strong set of vocals to succeed. The two elements combine to create something that would work well on pop radio (taking a similar tack to Sam Smith and Charlie Puth) as well as appeasing those that want something deeper and more intricate with their music. The gradual progression present in Wonderful ensures that listeners will be on the edges of their seats from beginning to end.
How Do You Like Me adds a set of drums to the mix, halving the overall run time of Wonderful in the creation a funky track that links together The Wallflowers and Tom Petty. The multiple layers of the vocals provide further depth to this composition, showcasing a wholly different façade to Ferni. The chunky bass line that plays at the bottom of the track makes this a sterling track for this EP.
Why Don’t You has a quick tempo and an overall sound that links together U2 and Neil Young into a noisy and furious effort that boosts the momentum of Afterburn considerably. Talk To Me is an epic composition in the vein of Muse and Pearl Jam, with a swirling eddy of guitars and drums providing a brilliant backdrop for the track’s vocals.
The digital version of the Afterburn EP contains a bonus track, Don’t Let Go. The track provides a wholly different sound to the end of the EP than it began; the wide array of tools that Ferni utilizes here makes this one of the more illustrative short albums that we have heard this year. For additional information about Ferni and samples of his music, visit the Gradation Music website. A few other samples of his music can be located at his Bandcamp.
Top Tracks: How Do You Like Me, Why Don’t You
Rating: 8.4/10
Ferni Afterburn EP / 2013 Self / 7 Tracks / http://gradationmusic.com/ / http://ferni.bandcamp.com