Lazarus Impulse (a.k.a. Roxie Cola, a.k.a. DJ Lil Stuart, a.k.a. Skylar) has recently released a brief collection of spacey, electro-rock tracks on its Bandcamp page.
The creative tracks found on Lazarus Impulse feature lots of bizarre electronic effects, sounds, vocal filters and echoes, but the song structures and underlying beats are classic indie/alternative rock in nature.
Potential influences include The Strokes, Radiohead, David Bowie, science-fiction, The Pixies and heavily synthesized ’70s and ’80s rock.
A little strange, electronic, stumbling and discombobulating at the outset, when “Goodbyes” reaches its climax and the drums open up, the track offers a great texture and feel. Rockin’!
This peak of the song, a little over three minutes in, has a pleasing flow to it.
Your eyes, light up my skies, the artist sings.
Commander Antonov, the character discussed in the next track (of the same name) seems to possess similarities to a certain Major Tom . . . to the point where one wonders if the song is a tribute of sorts to the iconic rock ’n’ roll spaceman, or if the songwriter just happened to go the space odyssey direction on his own.
The vocals here get a little harsh and whiny over a slow drum tempo.
“Neptune,” with its groovy bloop-bloop shoegaze shuffle, continues the outer space theme.
Stranded on a planetoid, staring at an endless void.
Skylar absolutely has some talent and vision; all of the songs on Lazarus Impulse (described by the songwriter as “snippets of a story about moving on, looking back and being thankful for the ones you still have by your side”) are original works, and the artist recorded and mixed all of the instruments and vocals heard here.
Honestly, the chord progressions and compositions really are fairly interesting and inspired. The beats should appeal to the indie rock fan, but the noise and effects used can sometimes distract from the songs more than add to them in a significantly artistic way, like they were just thrown in for the noise of it. This may suggest the artist is a little more interested in toying around with all manner of electronic effects above featuring his songwriting.
Skylar says he is working on assembling a band in order to perform his songs live, and to create new ones. Keep your eyes and ears open for them soon within the Murfreesboro music scene.
Find Lazarus Impulse and Skylar’s other projects at lieutenantkovalev.bandcamp.com.
