“participation prize” is a self-released EP by simian cyborg, a one-man musical project from Austin, TX, released last April.
The EP is composed of 4 slow to mid-tempo Indie Rock songs, upon listening, the first thing that grabs the ear is the production and recording, which are above average for the genre, the instruments are well balanced and the vocal track is not buried, making the lyrics easy to decipher.
The songs in the EP deal with issues like anger, frustration and disillusionment, all accentuated by the lyrical content, like in the 2nd track, “the grim-marginal scale”:
it’s funny how your life begins to blur before your eyes
i worry that it’s blurry when you cry
And even more so, in the screams he makes in some of the tracks, giving a sense of pent-up anger and frustration bursting out.
My Highlight of the EP is the opening track “here come the thought police”, a song about the perils of nonconformity and speaking one’s mind, the rhythm is relatively upbeat, the harmonies are pleasant to the ear, especially at the end of the song, the attention given to the vocals is very noticeable, my liking of the song grew with each listening.
This song sounds like, and should be, a hit single, making me wonder how this song is not played more on radio.
This EP is very well put together, although the screams did feel quite of out place for me, the positives way outweigh any negatives, this record showcases the talent of SC, making him much worthy than just a participation price in my book.
Qneydl 