Newly released album Muffled Ears, the World Sounds Bad Quality finds Reading, England-based artist Sightseeing Crew crafting a sophisticated collision of psychedelic jazz-rock and modern digital anxiety. Centered on the “Static Man” protagonist, a relatable figure overwhelmed by modern information overload, the record maneuvers through textures of gripping orchestration and consuming vocals to explore alienation in today’s digital age. The result is a standout listening experience from the act, which represents the solo project of Andrew Vickers.

Opening track “Orchid” consumes with its vibrant, atmospheric quality — weaving blaring brass, ethereal woodwinds, and a general sense of momentum into a soulfully ravishing vocal lushness. “Yestermillisecond” follows seamlessly with further brass-laden clarity, here bolstered by twangy guitars and glistening keys that maneuver into intoxicating rhythms and serene vocal entrancement. The interplay between free-flowing guitars, rumbling bass, and twinkling keys leads a wholly impactful production, with the mid-point strings and caressing vocal work adding with blissful energy thereafter.

“Muffled Ears” continues the album’s knack for tonal versatility, initially strutting a funk-friendly rhythmic pulse that ventures into moments of spacious intrigue, with mesmerizing vocals, illuminated piano, and affecting brass taking front and center. These elements all culminate beautifully into a stellar finale, with dreamy vocals and starry-eyed piano tones. Another stunning showcase in dynamic range comes on “Butcher,” evolving from understated acoustic guitar trickling and woozy vocals into a swooning, textured array of tender guitars, bright keys, and wandering brass.

The album’s high-quality songwriting doesn’t let up as the second half progresses, excelling in both rainy-day contemplators like “Window” and haunting dream-pop hypnotics in the vein of “planets” — both tracks enamoring in their drive from subdued charm into more bursting fervency. Abundant in quality songwriting and dazzling, sophisticated productions, Muffled Ears, the World Sounds Bad Quality is a thoroughly resonating success of an album from Sightseeing Crew.

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“Another Day in Uniform” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup.

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