Creative Quirks
Subtle's chilled rock music with an emphasis on sampled beats and quirky style is not the only thing that recalls fellow oddballs Why?, infact the band's website features the same newspaper cut-out artwork as fellow Oakland band Why?'s recent releases. Perhaps there's something in the water in California area that drives bands to the creation of hip-hop beats with sheer soundscapes that both bands have mastered. 'Day Dangerous' is an excellent example of this on 'ExitingARM' with a soft, high vocal line fluttering above the melody.
'The No' is a big, rock-style anthem with blustering guitars that plateau out into a high-paced rap section, which is probably full of political gusto if you can catch the lyrics. 'Unlikely Rock Shock' maintains the high pace with a frantic disco vibe coming through the vocal chants and racing beats, while 'Hollow Hollered' has a pattering beat and myriad vocal melodies that seem to riff off each other, creating a trippy but high-voltage tone.
Pschedelic pop is best represented in tunes like, 'The Crow'; a colourful hip-hop tinged number with percussive breaks and a slow, soulful feel and 'Take To Take' with an abundance of electro showers and shrill vocals. Subtle provide trip-hop at its finest with a vast mix of elements from flutes and electric cellos to synths and samples creating an atmosphere that subtlety aims to enchant the listener. 'ExitingARM' is going to be one of those albums that either captures your imagination, or leaves you dozy off, but it's unlikely to offend anyone due to its creative variety.
Subtle's music is most definitely interesting, but the only fault would be that each tune develops so much that they're practically schizophrenic and it would be reassuring and make for more relaxed listening to have a little more consistency, but of course, that would all be far too simple…Check out Subtle if you like the idea of dense melodies that are ever evolving and keep the listener on their toes at all times.