EP REVIEW: The Lost Audio - Self Titled

South London Funk/Rock quartet The Lost Audio recently dropped a copy of their new self-titled EP on the proverbial Wildfire desk and we were all too happy to sit back, crank up the stereo and see what all the fuss is about!

Recorded at Ruff Rockers studios and mastered at Metropolis in Chiswick, the first thing that hits you about this EP is how professional it sounds. This is radio-ready stuff!

Listening to the first track ‘Straight and Narrow’ you are straight away hit with a funky guitar riff that is immediately impressive. This blends nicely into a bouncing drum beat and smooth bass lines. A nice contrasting bridge in terms of feel and tone leads into a rocking chorus that no doubt sounds fantastic live. This is a band you NEED to see live.

This is followed up by ‘Eye For An Eye’ with has a groove led introduction which quickly slides into the more familiar smooth funk territory for the verse. What hits you next is a complete contrast, a hard hitting, overdriven guitar ridden thumping chorus, which will have you nodding your head whether you like it or not! One thing this band does very well is the mixing of the different musical styles - one moment you are being captured and floating away on some smooth basslines and guitar riffs, the next you are banging your head to the heavy choruses.

‘Shine’ showcases the band’s rock, funk and jazz influences, flitting between them throughout the song. But not in a messy way, oh no, it just sounds like how it’s “meant to sound”, with smooth transitions between each segment to create an effortlessly complete song. With riffage seemingly inspired by the Velvet Revolver camp, hard hitting bouncy drums and a popping bass on this lends a great foundation for the vocal lines. And what great vocal lines they are! ‘Shine’ showcases singer Ben’s vocal abilities, going from soft vocals to powerful chorus lines.

And now to my stand out track ‘Burning Bridges’. With a simply fantastic introduction reminiscent of the great grunge acts of the 90s, it slowly builds and builds throughout the verse, with the drums becoming more and more frantic until it hits you. Hard. As it breaks with a fantastic vocal note from Ben, you are suddenly immersed in a grunge/rock riff that would intimidate the most well-established of bands. This pace and power is continued throughout the rest of the song, building a brilliantly crafted rock/grunge song. In honour of this, please find ‘Burning Bridges’ below this review for your listening pleasure.

One thing to give special mention to (and not just because I’m a guitarist) is the appropriate use of guitar effects here. There’s no over the top distortion, overbearing reverb or imposing delays. A lot of time was clearly put into the effect sound to give each of them, from the overdriven sounds of ‘Burning Bridges’ to the smooth jazz tinged verses of “Shine”, an authentic, complimentary feel.

All in all, The Lost Audio are definitely a band to watch. Their songwriting is tight and concise, with enough hooks to keep you listening but not to cheapen the overall sound. These are 4 guys who obviously appreciate a broad range of music, from funk to rock to hip-hop, and bring in great elements of each to form their sound. I highly recommend you listen to the EP, it’s streaming free on their ReverbNation page (www.revernation.com/thelostaudio) and is well worth the time. And once you’ve done that, see them live. That’s an order. Albeit a very gentle one…

The Lost Audio will be playing a very special gig headlining a Cancer Research charity fundraiser on the 2nd April @ Scream Lounge Croydon.

www.revernation.com/thelostaudio