Despite the problematic division of labour, word on the street is that two pieces are a thing again.
If this trend continues I foresee the next big thing being a union to represent the great masses of displaced musicians roaming the wilderness like a pack of bloodthirsty hyenas. But I digress...
I have been set the task of reviewing the latest EP No More Time by Tempist Fujit and review it I shall!
I was already in a certain headspace knowing that Tempist Fujit was a duo before I clicked play on the first track No More Time. My pre-conceived listening experience quickly ran and hid in fear, hoping that no one saw it rapidly retreating. I was expecting acoustic guitars and ballads and I was dead wrong, the duality of such was not lost on me.
While the title track (No More Time) starts slowly it quickly builds, see sawing between melancholy and thunderous guitar driven rock. Lisa Walters' voice cuts though the mix with ease and she sounds like she would be at home singing in an arena. The varying change in dynamics breathes a serious amount of life into the song and guitarist Doug Gordon reputedly assures us that the mighty guitar riff is still alive and kicking. There is also an unplugged version of the title track on the EP which is a nice addition.
Things take a upbeat, pop influenced turn with Here I Am complete with strings and acoustic guitars. This track takes a different tact and its infectious melodies will be stuck in your head for a long, long time. Vocal melody wins over complicated harmony here and the strings in the chorus give the song a constant rising, uplifting feeling.
Lastly we have the song Ain't Your Business and straight away I am taken on a retro trip with the clean wah wah guitar intro. Tempist Fujit waste no time laying down some serious groove on this track and it has a great throwback funk feel. I feel this song has the strongest chorus on the EP and some slick song writing is evident.
Though short in stature, this EP packs a punch. Usually when you listen to an album or EP by an artist you are subjected to a collection of similar sounding material which can all blend into a big sonic fuzz. This is not the case here as Tempist Fujit has thrown caution to the wind, presenting a very diverse and ranged effort that showcases their assorted influences.
My personal belief is that the music production on the No More Time EP could have been a little bit sharper and it could have used some further polishing but it does not detract too much from the overall listening experience. Production aside, the biggest downside is the length. It is a shame we are only treated to three songs as I am quickly left with the feeling that someone just snuck up beside me and legged it with the rest of the meal I was just eating.
It either speaks volumes about Tempist Fujit or I am really greedy...
Probably both, I’ll let you be the judge.
- Reviewed by Jessie James.
Tempist Fujit (a play on the Latin word Tempus Fugit meaning Time Flies)
A 4-piece dynamic rock band from Northland New Zealand.
Having created a sound that captures a wide range of individual genres creatively placed into the bands signature solid rock style with powerful lead vocals and hard-hitting live performances, when thinking of new music and were to start Tempist Fujit is the place to look.