TOTHOSEWHOEXIST EP

To Those Who Exist is a hidden gem of an EP. Its bright guitars and soaring synths embrace and affirm every facet of lived experience. The album goes through a variety of moods and there are melancholic passages as well as heavy ones, but it maintains a predominantly hopeful sound; the shifts in mood serve as a testament to the complexity of existence, its dreams as well as its doubts.

In itself, the instrumental work is often fairly simple and straightforward. The melodies appear and recur note by single note, and there are some parts of the music where the drums steadily mark out each beat without adding much else. Yet this simplicity has its place in the whole by establishing a kind of clarity, and the sparser parts evolve into denser and more complex passages and culminations where the compositions really take off, at times punctuated by heavy rhythms that, sparingly used, lend more edge to the sound without compromising its overall feel. Some changes of pace and rhythm as well as sound and mood within individual songs are especially well done, the melodies remaining organic even as they veer in unexpected directions. Passages where each instrument's part interweaves with the others to layer and carry over multiple melodies at once create a rich, saturated palette that's practically aglow in its resonance, with the production highlighting a wonderful sense of space amid crisp and clear instrumentation.

A perfect expression of their name, To Those Who Exist gift the listener with an appreciation of this existence, espousing a state of being attuned to beauty and bliss. While perhaps unassuming in its basic form, what this EP accomplishes remains long after the music is over, enticing the listener to return - not just to the music, but to the frame of mind it cultivates: one of contemplation, acceptance, warmth, even wonder. The project carries over the feeling of being a labor of love, resonating with good will that cannot but be touching, perhaps even inspiring.

Recommended for fans of post-rock and post-metal who are not necessarily looking to be crushed under the weight of the music, and for all who welcome a more life-affirming take on the genre. An excellent addition to any collection: not quite groundbreaking, but distinct, memorable, and affecting.