The force of reinvention is strong from young songwriter and producer Jason Vance, who scrapped a bunch of songs from his past in order to access a new sensibility. With a clean jazz guitar, a deep and syncopated bass-line, and some buttery vocals, the sound here is a simple good time with a secret - introducing MR NO.
The elements are as varied as they are subtle, in a space that defies easy description. The references here range from Billie Eilish to the Strokes - with a warm production, effortless pop melody, and a hint of funk flavor from the live drum performance and bass compression.
It’s not easy to play that Pete Yorn card and play all of the instruments yourself; when done correctly, the synergy between parts transcends social chemistry, and creates a purity of expression that is rare and beautiful. The new single When I'm Down from MR NO sets the bar for new starts: it’s groovy, fun, and hides a little bit of pain. But if it didn’t hurt, we’d never learn anything.
