1 Nov 2024
UsernamePassword

Remember Me? | Join | Recover
Click here to sign in via social networking

Arrays - Single Review: Glass Traps

06 Jun 2022 // A review by JamieDenton

Auckland-based rock/metal act Arrays is the brainchild and ‘creative sandbox’ of musician/producer JP Carroll (ex-Armed in Advance, and currently also with Swerve City). Having known JP for a number of years, and having followed his career through Stitches, which became Armed in Advance, and then into Arrays and later Swerve City, he has consistently remained a strong creative force, a passionate and prolific producer and performer of music, and possibly kiwi-music’s most genuine, nicest, and most down to earth personalities (albeit one that is loaded with a plethora of terrible puns that he will unleash at any and all opportune moments). Throughout it all, JP’s drive to create has led him to numerous NZ Top 40 Rock Chart placements and to the centre of an ever-growing community that he works hard to keep in constant contact with.

On the note of prolificity, Arrays will be releasing their third single, Glass Traps, on 24 June. It comes from what will be the third full-length album Patience Way. Following hot on the heels of previous singles Obsidian Oceans and Forget Fast, this third single sees Arrays head into relatively unexplored new territory: slowing the pace, cleaning up the guitars and vocals, and delivering a stunningly beautiful rock/pop song. Fascinatingly, it sounds like a track that has been meticulously crafted through repeated live performances, which is not the case given that Arrays has been a studio only project thus far.

One of the beautiful things about this track is that there is a permanent sense of sadness and longing throughout, but also a constant tension. Glass Traps constantly hints at the potential for Arrays to dial the distortion, drumming, and vocals up to Soundgarden-esque scream levels, but it restrains itself (just) from this. Instead, it utilises a careful mix of light and shade, quiet and semi-loud, and clean and overdriven to keep the listener constantly on the knife-edge – feeling like we are about to fall, teetering precariously, but ultimately held safe in the hands of the master song-crafter.

Perhaps the best adjective to describe Glass Traps is ‘haunting’. The lyrics haunted my thoughts for a long time after, leaving me thinking about the situations described and wondering about the kinds of people that inspired the song. The guitar riff, and effects, are unlike anything Arrays has written thus far, which, combined with the vocal delivery, left me with a need to listen to it again and again to exorcise whatever was haunting me from the first listens.

Production-wise, Arrays has absolutely nailed it. The instrumentation sits perfectly as a gorgeous blend of sounds, with nothing fighting for its rightful sonic space, and a nice clear separation between instruments. The effects on the guitar (most noticeable at the very start of the track) are audible, effective, but still subtle enough to not detract. With each listen, I was rewarded by a new sound or nuance that I hadn’t noticed the times before, making the track rewardingly replayable. The vocals float gently over the top of everything, taking pride of place as the main instrument but not overwhelming. The overall bedrock of instrumentation and voice is the perfect vehicle for the sentiment of the lyrical exploration of “the emotional fulcrum of post-pacific war trauma suffered by veterans”.

If you don’t already know of Arrays, then Glass Traps is a solid starting point to lead you into the rich musical world that exists behind that moniker. If you are already a fan, this release will provide something new, something that JP has only hinted at previously, and a fresh new side of Arrays which, while not sounding like anything they’ve done before, fits in superbly with the rest of the catalogue.

Rating: ( 5 / 5 )
 

About Arrays

Introducing Arrays, the solo music project of JP Carroll, a musician and producer from Auckland, New Zealand.

For JP, music is an ache to soothe, and an itch to scratch. JP’s drive to create a breadth and depth of oeuvre has led him to become a student of recording and production techniques, as well as general industry knowledge, to allow his work to reach as many willing ears as possible.

Arrays is an award winning, (Radio Wigwam - UK best international male artist 2022), hard hitting alternative rock & metal project. JP’s production skills have earned him spots on the Radioscope Top 40 NZ Rock Chart, Hot Single (NZ Official Music) Chart placements, as well as being anointed as ‘one to watch’ by the NZ Official Music Charts. JP’s former band (Armed In Advance) had the honor of supporting Drowning Pool, P.O.D and Skillet on New Zealand soil. JP also currently fronts Auckland hard rock band Swerve City.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Arrays

Releases

Artefacts
Year: 2024
Type: Album
Patience Way
Year: 2022
Type: Album
Light Years
Year: 2020
Type: Album
Motives
Year: 2017
Type: EP

Other Reviews By JamieDenton

EP Review: SD-2100 vs The World
05 Sep 2023 // by JamieDenton
Hailing from Kirikiriroa (Hamilton), the multi-talented artist Sam Densem has showcased his versatility across a spectrum of musical genres and styles. Sam's approach to his craft involves crafting distinct packages of music, each with its own unique flavour and character.
Read More...
Lester - EP Review: Lost and Found
28 Aug 2023 // by JamieDenton
Tamaki Makaurau / Auckland-based MC Lester (ex-Round Buddha) is not a new name within Aotearoa New Zealand’s independent music scene. Indeed, Lester has carved a distinct presence for himself since his early releases in 2017.
Read More...
Sonic Space Lab - Album Review: Cycles
20 Jul 2022 // by JamieDenton
Sonic Space Lab is the musical pseudonym of Dunedin-based, Venezuelan composer and sound engineer Luis Rodriguez, who some may know from his guitar work in Dunedin’s Tomahawk Radio. Having spent more than 20 years writing music for television, film, and advertising and collaborating with countless musicians in both musician and producer roles, Luiz Rodriguez turned his hand to Sonic Space Lab (also the name of his studio) in the mid-late 2010’s.
Read More...
Speech Act Theory - Single/Video Review: Old Versus New
25 Feb 2022 // by JamieDenton
Initially conceived of as purely a studio project to fuse electronica with live drums and other instruments, Auckland-based alternative/electronica Speech Act Theory is the brainchild of producer/musician Pete Hickman alongside drummer Ben Bradford. With the project kicking off in the latter end of 2019 — which is probably not the greatest timing, with all the upcoming turmoil and disruption to live music etc.
Read More...
Steven Hue - EP Review: Assembly
15 Feb 2022 // by JamieDenton
At the start of December, I had the opportunity to review the double single Brainstare / Manatorquim by Tasmanian-based ex-pat Kiwi, Steven Hue. At that time, I noted that another three songs would be following shortly, and that, based on the strength of these original two, I was eagerly anticipating what this next batch would have in store.
Read More...
Floor Five - EP Review: The Garden
28 Jan 2022 // by JamieDenton
Indie-pop/rock band Floor Five are relative new-comers on the Kiwi music scene. Following up a couple of previous singles (2020’s Overthinking and 2021’s Strawberry Wine), the Wellington based four-piece’s partially crowd-funded EP The Garden was released just as the country returned to the red light setting of the Covid protection framework.
Read More...
Steven Hue - Double Single Review: Brainstare / Mantorquim
06 Dec 2021 // by JamieDenton
Ex-pat Kiwi now based in Tasmania, Steven Hue may be familiar to many through his previous work as former vocalist and co-writer for popular experimental band Full Code, his stint studying at the Nelson School of Music, or his commission work which has seen him produce work for art installations, short files, and video games. Turning his hand to solo electronic music, Steven has just released a double single of two new tracks: Brainstare and Manatorquim.
Read More...
Stray Theories - Album Review: This Light
07 Oct 2021 // by JamieDenton
Based in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australian musician/composer Micah Templeton-Wolfe has a long, successful history with crafting works that explore rich, lush melodies within vast ambient, cinematic soundscapes. While some of his works have become the soundtracks to independent short films, television and radio commercials, multimedia projects, art installations, and specifically commissioned sound design or compositional pieces, he has also maintained an interest in releasing material as a musical artist.
Read More...
View All Articles By JamieDenton

NZ Top 10 Singles

  • APT.
    ROSÉ And Bruno Mars
  • DIE WITH A SMILE
    Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars
  • BIRDS OF A FEATHER
    Billie Eilish
  • TASTE
    Sabrina Carpenter
  • I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
    Gracie Abrams
  • ESPRESSO
    Sabrina Carpenter
  • SAILOR SONG
    Gigi Perez
  • LOSE CONTROL
    Teddy Swims
  • A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
    Shaboozey
  • GOOD LUCK, BABE!
    Chappell Roan
View the Full NZ Top 40...
muzic.net.nz Logo
100% New Zealand Music
All content on this website is copyright to muzic.net.nz and other respective rights holders. Redistribution of any material presented here without permission is prohibited.
Report a ProblemReport A Problem