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Feb 21, 2018 Web Exclusive By Chris K. Davidson

Unconventional rhythms, melodies, and instrumentations drape themselves across the tracks of the self-titled full-length debut by Loma, a recent signing by Sub Pop that consists of Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater and Cross Record’s Emily Cross and Dan Duszynski. After touring throughout America and Europe, the two groups decided to join forces to see what songs they could create together.

The dark pop orchestration of “Joy” yearns for “the million, million waves of light” to be recognized in a sea of acoustic guitars, piecing strings and sparse drums. With a title as blunt as “I Don’t Want Children,” Cross delivers a haunting vocal against an almost Asian-like piano pattern and describes a hypothetical daughter whose “eyes looking into mine” draw her back to a love interest with whom she may even consider having a family. Alas this scenario of what or who could be will never come to pass.

The band keeps a beautiful juxtaposition between major flourishes and minor dirges while the noise and dissonance never removes itself from the crevices of the songs. When the tempo does begin to increase in tracks such as “Relay Runner,” the listener wonders half the time if the song will even stay together or fall apart before the end.

Cross handles most of the vocal responsibilities herself until the final track, “Black Willow,” in which Meiburg joins her to help close the record with lyrics about “carrying a diamond blade” and “making a home inside the wind.” Not surprisingly, these tour mates continue to sing about the nomadic life even off the road. (www.lomatheband.com)

Author rating: 7/10