2015 Nefarious Industries

4 out of 5

The third official solo release from prolific East of the Wall guitarist/vocalist/occasional trumpeter Matt Lupo, Levels is also the first recording under his OPUL moniker to get a physical release, courtesy of former bandmate Kevin Conway's Nefarious Industries label.

Marking a bit of a return to form to the style of his first EP, Personnel, the three tracks that make up Levels showcase Lupo's ear for captivating melodies and lean, effective arrangements. Opening with a sparse clean guitar passage, he quickly kicks it into gear with a fuzzed-out, Failure-esque riff that drives most of "Presence." Without losing momentum, the song explores several dynamic changes, dropping into a minimalist passage of guitar and layered vocals before returning to the opening chord and picking back up into its familiar major-key stomp and an effortless shift into "Velocity & Saturation."

The second song is the collection's heaviest and most ambitious, featuring a grinding midtempo groove that transitions into a simply gorgeous middle section built around shimmering post-rock guitar textures and an ethereal vocal arrangement. The track ends in a long ambient buildup with wailing guitar atmospherics and an almost-tribal drum crescendo into the sudden start of upbeat "Clarity." This final song evokes later Porcupine Tree minus the lyrical cheese with its brooding acoustic verses and the massive hook in its chorus and ends with a perfectly placed, searing guitar solo.

If there is any gripe to be had with Levels, and its a minor one, it's that Lupo's drumming strikes me as both a little simplistic and oddly mixed at points. Admittedly that could mostly be an effect of being used to him playing more complex parts with near-virtuoso percussionists in his main projects. And that being said, he deserves massive credit for writing, arranging and playing every part on his solo releases. Levels stands as his most complete and realized solo effort this far, and deserves repeated spins by any fan of catchy but adventurous music.

Listen/purchase here.
Point of reference: Failure, newer Cave In, Junius
Best track: Velocity & Saturation

— JC 
02/2015