Bitter Work
Self-Released, 2023
8/10
The Minneapolis resident Ben Noble knows his way around a diverse song that can be both bare and busy, where folk and pop ideas present themselves in very exciting and memorable ways.
“When The Mountains Fall” opens the listen with much atmosphere, where a uniquely calming approach unfolds with a dreamy climate of synth and beats, and “Predator” follows with a more upbeat demeanor of light buzzing and glitchy ideas that builds into a thicker display of indie-rock.
In the middle, the intimate “Gamora” is quite poetic and flows with a gentle quality, as does the sublime beauty of “Caving In”, where gorgeous singing populates a stirring ambience.
Approaching the end, “Breaking Ranks” emits a creative, synth fueled landscape of chilling, meditative sounds, and the title track exits with glowing keys and expressive vocals that escalates into a fuller, electro-pop display.
Noble is also well versed in producing, and that’s clearly evident as he illuminates his vision of serene versus experimental moments of really intriguing song craft.
Travels well with: Turn Turn Turn- New Rays From An Old Sun; Sarah Morris- Here’s To You