In Constant Motion

Maybe 'surreal' isn't the first word that would come to mind when listening to most rock albums; doubly so for anything coming out of Miami. And yet, it's probably the best adjective, among many, that one could use when listening to Arsonist's debut album. Far from the palm trees and sunny vistas plastered on most export postcards, in constant motion is a bit more grounded, likely birthed amid the traffic, heat and unrelenting pressure of it's countless residents...the Miami everyone but the tourists experience. The things which make the city what it is have also accented the album: tonal shifts and sweeping, anthemic choruses giving way to slow, quiet interludes, before being broken through with waves of guitar. From the paced start and palpable build-up of 'love human' to the layered, spacious guitar in 'final protest;' from the strong opening in 'curtains' to the piano and (purposely) indecipherable vocals in 'into the arms,' the songs are weather changes on the same day. Though the album is given to a sense of loss and isolation, in constant motion isn't without a sense of whimsy: the odd and endearing instrumental aside at the tail-end of 'forgive delay' and the feel of 'vela (the sail)' show that Arsonist aren't entirely down and out. As musicians, though, they are exactly the opposite. They may play it a bit loose, and might even relish the blur around the edges, but it's intentional. Relaxed without being lazy, loud without being obnoxious, regional but without a fixed place, talented on all fronts, it's a work that will continue playing in your head long after the disc has stopped spinning. Like they say in 'carbon,' 'Wake up and be glad they found you.' Rightly so.