Sir Cadian Rhythm - Sir Cadian Rhythm EP

If you were to ask me to name two of my favourite music genres, early 00s indie and big band jazz wouldn't necessarily be the first which come to mind, though each is not without its charms. Similarly, most people, myself included, would not expect that the blending of these two genres would sound like anything more than hackish noise. We would all be wrong, however, dead wrong. The New York musical troupe known as Sir Cadian Rhythm have found a way to blend Incubus-style indie, big band jazz and even some 90s funk rock into a style which doesn't really sound like any of those. Rather, with their debut self-titled EP, Sir Cadian Rhythm have created a truly unique and polished sound all their own.

Sir Cadian Rhythm went into the well-known New York studio Zin Records in late fall 2014, and emerged with this EP in early February of this year. Even though the album was completed quickly, the five songs released were complex, well-produced and interesting. The EP opens with 'Flood of XIV,' which is predominantly early 00s indie a'la Incubus or Interpol. The main source from which the group's Incubus similarity flows is singer Jack Weppler's emotive tenor, but the song structure also hearkens back to that time and genre.

The jazz element of Sir Cadian Rhythm comes into play with 'Holly's on Fire.' Again, logical reasoning would infer that big band jazz would not necessarily work with indie rock. The band applies an element of Red Hot Chili Peppers-era funk to the rhythm track so that in the case of this song, the pairing is not only logical but seems natural. Like moveable type in Gutenberg's printing press, this song leaves listeners wondering, "Why wasn't this invented earlier?"

Sir Cadian Rhythm's funk aspect comes largely from bassist Richard Cluxton. His Flea-esque slap bass technique is evident in 'Ouroboros,' the EP's third track. The other elements of the track are more indie, but Cluxton adds that element of funk which really sets the band and this song apart. 'Ouroboros' may otherwise be a bit pedestrian, but Cluxton's bass along with Alex Laudini's guitar solo make it a remarkable piece.

The EP closes with a beautiful track called 'Villian Fear.' This song has a smooth jazz base and really shows the versatility of Weppler's voice as it transitions to a crooner style, matching the smooth music. There is still a strong element of indie in the key the band chooses for the vocals, and this is thus how the band?s'now characteristic genre fusion is created. This track really showcases the band's love for jazz, their ability to take it to a modern place, and their huge musical potential overall.

I suspect that there are even more songs yet to be released by Sir Cadian Rhythm than appear on this debut EP. Given the speed with which they are capable of working and the quality they're able to produce in such a short time, I think we can expect a full-length album very soon, though I have no statements from the band confirming this. It could just be wishful thinking. Sir Cadian Rhythm have achieved a balance in their music the likes of which has not been heard in quite a while, but they have still managed to create music which is unexpected and unlike anything available in music today. The EP is available for streaming and download on Sir Cadian Rhythm's Bandcamp page, and they have also posted a number of fun cover mashup videos on their Youtube page. Mar 13 2015