Harm Less - Loose Leaves
Posi-djent doomgaze outfit Harm Less recently released “Loose Leaves,” the debut single from the soon-to-be-dropped Safe’s Pace album, on Flesh and Bone Records. This track is off-the-chain-excellent.
Harm Less
Harm Less is the musical project of producer, multi-instrumentalist Bryan Kingsley, who now lives and works in Chicago. Prior to settling in the Windy City, Kingsley honed his talent recording and performing in bands in Upstate New York, attending school in Connecticut. After graduating, he relocated to Chicago, where he began work on his solo debut album, Standing, Still.
Standing, Still very nearly did not see the light of day, as the project was placed on the back burner when Kingsley’s father passed away at the beginning of 2015. Later that year, Kingsley released the album, dedicating it to his father. The album garnered vast praise from critics and fans.
Kingsley began working on new material, laying down demo tracks in his home studio. He also played, recorded, and toured with two Chicago bands, Bishop and Dead Sun. In 2017, he and producer Adrian Kobziar of Dead Sun began work on Kingsley’s second album at Wall of Sound Studios in Chicago.
Harm Less really has it going on! This is impressive music with beau coup heft suffused with weighty elegance.
Harm Less’ sound blends elements of djent, melodic hardcore, shoegaze, and pop into sumptuous musical concoctions conjuring up parallels to Cloakroom, Cloudkicker, Isis, and Jesu.
“Loose Leaves” opens on thick, potent, grinding guitars atop a crunching, supple rhythm. Incandescent guitar accents give the intro an almost pop-punk flavor. Like a layer cake, the harmonics amalgamate delicious stratums of sonic colors and pressure, from sparkling and light to deeply subterranean. Melodic shifts, running on spectacular leitmotifs, provide the tune with surging impetus riding on muscular tones with a sting in the tail.
“Loose Leaves,” to me, is reminiscent of polished melodic hardcore merged with supercharged prog-rock. The result is gleaming, evocative, and supremely powerful. Harm Less really has it going on! This is impressive music with beau coup heft suffused with weighty elegance.
