Anakin - Celestial Frequency Shifter

From the first five seconds of listening to "Astro[not]" I am immediately reminded of one of my favorite albums, UVR's Blood on the Satellite, and I'm struck by both the space theme and musical similarities. As I wonder whether that album is the missing link between Nirvana and Anakin, I can't help but lose myself in the orbital pull that is this opening song. The band describes their sound as "fuzzy and melodic," a sentiment that is immediately captured in "Astro[not]," the standard-setting song of the album. You'll want to hold out for the very end, where a beautiful musical breakdown highlights just how talented this group of musicians really is.

 

Several songs down the line, "Satellite" is a stand-out track that utilizes a heavier-handed bass to bring depth to an otherwise ethereal melody. As the song opens, I'm mentally preparing for a Blink-182 song to follow, but the intro is soon overtaken by something softer and more dreamlike. It's the first song on the album where I really feel like I could sing along thanks to a sharply enunciated chorus which highlights Wessel's signature vocals. It's no wonder, then, that Anakin chose to release this as the first music video from the album: the band's Facebook page reveals that the video is done and a release date will be announced soon.

 

An impressive sense of cohesiveness permeates Celestial Frequency Shifter, and so it is the more subtle changes that are worth noting when describing the allure of each song. "Clairvoyance" is a song with its fair share of subtle eccentricities worthy of a second (or third) listen. A heavy grunge guitar wins my heart, while a bolder drum beat adds variety to this otherwise mellow melody. This song highlights the band's ability to combine 90s rock stylings with more electronic sounds that are present in current music - and in the 80s game Simon Says. Paired with Anakin's signature, slowed-down vocal stylings, the song is a study in contrasts, creating a unique listening experience defined by subtlety.

 

Although it's a bit softer around the edges, Celestial Frequency Shifter is as reflective of 90s Weezer as it is of the pop punk craze of the early 2000s. Anakin delivers a musically strong sophomore album that will appeal to a modern alt rock fan base; however, the band's description of themselves capturing "simplicity without boredom" may be a bit of a preemptive strike. My one critique for Celestial Frequency Shifter is that while individually, each song is a solid listen, the album as a whole can become a bit repetitive. Perhaps this is because a sophomore album is the perfect opportunity to define a signature sound, and Anakin took this as an opportunity to create an almost overly-cohesive collection of tracks. However, this shouldn't deter you from checking out each of these individually awesome songs.