In a world of progressive rock and painstakingly engineered beats, the world of rock we used to know already changed forever. With the computer-aided soundscapes and melodramatic nuances that can be tweaked in the blink of an eye, who could blame the path the music industry has taken. Sleepwalkers, who are comprised of Richard Siddall-Jones and Ben Marsden, are a prime example of where the industry can only try to keep up with these blossoming acts. Of course, the duo would be most easily compared to Radiohead, not because everyone compares every band to Radiohead, Coldplay and U2, but because first and foremost Sleepwalkers’ have the talent to be compared to such acts and their latest Pause EP shows just that.
Perhaps the genius behind the Sleepwalkers moniker is the flawless synergy between Siddall’s expert back-end production and Marsden’s trancelike vocals. When I first listened to this EP, I immediately began making assumptions of who they sounded like and the Yorke / Greenwood comparison sprung to life. In fact, I was almost sure this could have been a high-end production of a few Radiohead remakes given the tight loops and drawing vocals. The beats are quick like that of Thom York’s solo productions (i.e. Eraser), so you can expect some quick-witted remixable tracks here and enough variation to put this EP on repeat. An easy example here would be this, the opening track “Read Window”. The vocals are lulling as if in a dreamlike state, while the contrast is the energetic beats that wrap the song in burrito-like fashion.
Sleepwalker’s Pause EP is a melodramatic trip worthy to spin and spin again. We’re not kidding – If you can’t wrap your head around this one, you might as well find another hobby.