Flight Tower EP - Dirty Projectors: Review
is a long running indie project centered around songwriter and multi-instrumentalist David Longstreth. The project has gone though numerous sonic transitions and line-up changes over the years but has set out on a 5 EP series each featuring a different vocalist, of which Flight Tower is the 2nd.
Review By Lavender:
I have always been a big Dirty Projectors fan and earlier this year was no different when I heavily praised their Windows Open EP. In comparison this new project which features Felicia Douglass of fellow indie project Ava Luna on vocals transitions from the folk inspired sound into a much more electronica and R&B direction. Even with this change though Dirty Projectors once again manage to put together a short but beautiful series of tracks that are just as rewarding as Windows Open.
The EP opens up with the song Inner World a beautiful indie folk cut that sounds straight out of 2009 and would blend in more with the last EP than any other songs here. Despite its folk influence it boasts a surprisingly intricate and natural sounding instrumental palette that features beautiful little flourishes working their way around each other in the mix. Love Your Love is where the EP starts to sound more like the bands late 2010's style with the bright key flashes and manipulated vocals that lay on top of a very punchy beat. Even with all this the song is still absolutely gorgeous and sees the two things that have made the band so enigmatic and interesting over the years blended together expertly.
Self Design is probably the most upbeat song here and it comes from the heavy focus on the beat which in turn makes the song incredibly dancy. With the looped vocal harmonies and short but catchy grooves the track is a true indie jam that is beyond pleasant to listen to. Empty Vessel is the lightest and most ballad like of the tracks here despite having pounding bass hits throughout. This may be the weakest song on the EP simply because it is pretty short and really just has its one simple concept, pairing this with the fact that it ends a little too soon and kind of abruptly makes me wish the song had more to it.
Before Flight Tower dropped the first Dirty Projectors EP of the year Windows Open was comfortably my favorite short form release thus far. This time around David Longstreth proves that his group is unmatched when it comes to the short form in 2020 with a second short but incredibly sweet selection of tracks that show off veteran songwriting genius with surprisingly unique and genre pushing instrumental palettes. If the group fulfills their 5 EP promise I can already tell it is going to be really hard to pick a favorite for my end of year EP lists because they are on fire so far. 8/10
Album Cover Review by Tyler Judson:
This is a successful cover. I really enjoy the frame in frame composition and how the photo is taken from a straight on perspective. It also is a direct sibling of the first cover in the series. The white walls of the gallery and surrounding blank space means that your eye is immediately drawn to the color of the art and the subject itself. I don't think this cover needs text at all and the imagery speaks for itself. 8/10
For more Dirty Projectors check out my review of Windows Open here
