El Ten Eleven- “It’s Still Like A Secret” Album Review

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Listening to Los Angeles based El Ten Eleven’s new album, It’s Still Like A Secret, is like experiencing an overload of sounds and landscapes that begs to be called schizophrenic.

The 10 tracks found on this album will surely conjure up various images, like flying slow-motion through clouds to what it must be like driving down a scenic deserted road while having the inclination to attempt your best guitar solo and endlessly tap your feet to the infectious drumming. Either way, instrumental music never sounded so progressive and uniquely succinct.

Comprised of Kristian Dunn (guitars/bass) and Tim Fogarty (drums/synthesizers), El Ten Eleven’s mercurial approach to songwriting is showcased beautifully here, where their trademark experimental instrumental music is explored a bit further.

“Ya No,” the albums opening track goes bass and high hat crazy then transitions into a crunchy guitar line that’s driving and to the point. Though less then a minute and a half (1:25), the number proves that short songs can still be relevant and well written.

“Indian Winter,” lives by its distorted guitar twinges before turning into a sporadic finger tapping craziness that results in slight curling sounds while a steady drumbeat keeps perfect time.

Although they make up half the line up of warm and cuddly indie pop quintet, Softlightes, Dunn and Fogarty allow their musical talents to really flex under the El Ten Eleven moniker and the payoff is always grand. Their looping style mixed with progressive oriented rock sounds and acoustic/electronic drumming allows for an amazing listening journey due to the songs usually coming around full circle and ending where they began

Soaring through the sky is the feeling that’s evoked when listening to “Falling.” A catchy synth line that sounds like melodic muffling that ends with full on cymbal bashing makes for a pleasant but slightly aggressive end.

Shorter and sweeter than Explosions In The Sky and less plaintive and atmospheric than the Album Leaf, El Ten Eleven is the ideal instrumental band for listeners who desire songs packed with surprising transitions, serene guitar lines and subtle but layered synthesizers.