Ron Cavagnaro began making music as The Consolation Project way back in 1993 after becoming inspired by many British bands who had created the post-punk and shoegaze scenes just a few years previously (Echo & The Bunnymen, My Bloody Valentine, The Cure...), so with a twentieth anniversary on the horizon, 'Reflections' seems like appropriate title for this new EP. That said, the music here doesn't feel sentimental and although you can still hear the echos of that era's noise-makers in all of these songs, the music isn't quite a trip back in time either. 'Reflections' is only a partial flashback; it sounds modern and despite the recent shoegaze and psychedelia revivals it manages not to sound quite like anyone else.
The closest we come to a period piece is the retro-futurism of 'No Divisions' with its primitive beat and electronics. What's also incredibly fitting is the cover image: not only is the opening track called 'The Power Of The Moon', it's distorted like a guitar band trying to play while being zapped by cosmic rays (or possibly like A Place To Bury Strangers playing under water), and this isn't the only track where sci-fi effects are used. 'Reflections' is a moody EP, the vocal is blurred, even slurred on 'It's A Wonder' and post-punk basslines keep things dark even when fighting for space with sparkling synths. On 'You'll See' he manages to take a load of vintage sounds and layer them to create something surprisingly up-to-date. This muddy psychedelia won't suit everyone's ears but if you like your music contorted, skewed and a little out of this world then dig in.
The Consolation Project's website
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