File Under: Lo-fi, Indie, Singer/Songwriter
Blisscipline’s Unrelating is a project of minimalism and self awareness. His lyrics are poetically simplistic streams of consciousness, and often showed themselves capable of punching me in the gut. There is an incredibly solemn sincerity to Blisscipline’s vocal delivery and (occasionally complex) strumming patterns that it’s hard not to appreciate the beauty within.
In fact, it’s the more simplistic songs that pack a harder punch. A personal favorite is “Joe at the Library,” a song that briefly examines looking back at the past while moving forward in life. It’s a fleeting moment walking on the quad in the final moments of his undergraduate career. And while he may talk in the album’s postscript about the unfinished feeling these songs have, I personally find that to be one of their biggest strengths.
Blisscipline is a project of bliss and discipline, where he (I couldn’t find his name anywhere) writes seven songs at the end of each month, no matter inspiration, completeness, or what have you. Unrelating is the culmination of two separate months compiled together. Some songs definitely feel more polished than others (“Beatrice” vs. “Working Out” for example) but nothing feels out of place even in the slightest. Unrelating primarily revolves around relationships, etiquette and self-doubt. Amazingly, it feels like he barely grazes the surface of these themes in the course of fourteen songs. That’s not a complaint, that’s a compliment. It’s in the unsaid where these songs really live.
I can’t speak of how much progression exists in these songs versus earlier Blisscipline albums, but I can safely say I will look into them after this breakdown is complete. Unrelating has been a breath of fresh air for my ears, proving that budget and notoriety aren’t the most important elements of music.
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Highlights include: “Gfs and Bfs,” “I almost fought a guy at the Ringo Deathstarr show,” and “Joe at the Library”
You can listen to Unrelating here.
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Going on a blind date with Unrelating:
5/5 stars
Blind Date My Ears 