CD Review: Logan and Nathan – The Happening
by Antony Bailey for Country Music News International Magazine
- Stumble
- How Does It Feel
- Lonely
- The Happening
- Where Do We Go
- Forget Myself
- Nostalgia
- Silhouette Canvas
- High On You
- One Love, Big Heart
- Come On Under
The soulful Vancouver-based duo Logan and Nathan released an eleven-track EP back in April 2020 and it’s fast approaching its third anniversary. It was the second full-length album to be unveiled by them and Its release combined a long list of ongoing social issues which found their way onto the album. Scattered with modern yet soulful grooves, the music provides the audience with a tasteful insight into the future of electro-soul.
‘How does It Feel’ combined soulful harmony with melodic phrases and a 4/4 backbeat to push the piece along. The silence adds to the charisma and elegance of the piece while the gentle fading of the music increases the ambiance. ‘Lonely’ begins slowly with the subtle inclusion of a synth and vocals. The audible techno beat in the background adds more delicacy and finesse to what is a well-composed song that tackles real-life issues such as loneliness, depression, poverty, and suicide.
‘The Happening’ was released at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 and it took an appropriate look into the current times. The lyrics open the audience’s eyes to a broader range of ongoing issues that are plaguing modern society. ‘’I find solace in the quiet of the space’’ leaves a lot of room for interpretation to the listener. Although the song has meaning, there is much more to be discovered in the eye of the beholder.
Other tracks including ‘Forget Myself’ still contain a great deal of poignancy three years on. The music encourages artists and listeners to envisage the meaning of life and forget themselves, if only for a few brief melodic moments. The chorus ‘’I keep forgetting myself’’ leads the listener to question why one continues to forget themselves at such a pivotal period in modern history.
The album reaches its conclusion with tracks such as ‘One Love, Big Heart’ and ‘Come On Under’. The former contains guitar licks and embellishments which suggest something sinister and abnormal may be lurking beneath a surface that one cannot see. ‘Come On Under’ spans over five minutes in length and is soothing instrumentally.
The music also contains a backbeat to push the tempo forwards to prevent it from losing any momentum in addition to there being a lack of resolution as there appears to be a fair amount of dissonance throughout much of the compositions. The EP is well worth downloading for those moments when an individual can simply sit back, relax, and take a moment to reflect.