With nearly two decades of working with music makers and sonic creatives of all kinds and also running his recording studio, it comes as no surprise that Kyle Koenig, the man behind the solo project I Saw Movement, knows his way around the art of making music that stands apart from the pack. And although this is the first record in years that he can call his own, it is a collection of songs that even the most established artist would love to emulate.
As Kyle Koenig effortlessly demonstrates, he is more than aware that the old idea of genres and sonic demarcations is long gone. He uses this sense of freedom to wander the musical landscape, finding inspiration and influence where he may. But to wander too far and wide would be to introduce too much eclecticism, too many ideas, into the process, so he limits his sonic travels to the realms of alt-rock and indie, shoegaze and post-punk, which is itself still quite a broad trek.
The result? Six songs that are adventurous and unique but which have a cohesive, signature sound. The best of both worlds, the fresh and the familiar. There are songs like opener, “Enough” which run on chiming, indie licks, and then there are songs such as “Charade” which take grungey riffs and pushes them through an alt-pop/electronic filter to great effect. “Palms” shimmers with pop finesse, and the title track, which rounds things off, is an excellent slice of post-punk – dark, drifting, dense and delicious.
What do you give someone who musically claims to have heard it all? A copy of Maybe This Time, that’s what.
