Devereaux: Cacti Pace EP
The debut EP from South Carolina native Devereaux (W. Heyward Sims) is an aggressive, exuberant journey into the realms of electronica and kraut rock as they ebb and flow together. There is an obvious influence from groups like Air and Daft Punk on this record, but to Sims’ credit the sounds here don’t seem forced or contrived and should appeal to a strong audience.
The opener, “Perestroika”, carries an awesome synth wave over a strong bass line and a booty-shaking drum section. I love the little attention to detail here, like the use of a toy piano just beneath the main melody to add just a little flair. “Capri” continues with the groovy dance motif, adding heavily digitized vocals over a driving, if not repetitive beat.
The album’s center, “NYXT” is an arena rock anthem disguised only slightly as electronica. There is no denying the heavy riffs and group vocals on the chorus, which make you immediately want to raise your fist in the air and shout along. The digitized vocals return for some sections, but are coupled to gorgeous effect with a clean, harmonious chorale.
“Sassafras” is a quick romp with cute vocals sampled throughout and “horns” used on the choruses. I like the dubstep feel of this song, but I think it could have used a little extra length to flesh out some its more intense moments. The closer, “Espejo” is easily the highlight of the record with an amazing post-rock style drum beat beneath sparse keys and a hot bass line. The digitized vocals make a return here along with a shouted refrain that builds to a cool finish.
For an initial release, Cacti Pace is incredibly produced and extremely fun to listen to. Devereaux has done a great job expressing just the right amount of influence alongside originality and made this listener eager for more. A full length release from this artist in the near future is a welcome inevitability.
Rating: 7.3/10
MP3: Devereaux “Sassafras”
Buy: iTunes
