Label: City Slang

Although perhaps better known for his solo work, Jose Gonzalez may soon find that his new band Junip may very well prove to be more than just a side project with their recent release, The Rope and Summit.  Formed in 2005, Junip consists of singer-songwriter Gonzalez, Tobias Winterkorn on organ and synth and finally Elias Arava on drums.  Despite the Hispanic sounding name of their frontman, the 3-piece acoustic/alternative group actually originate from Sweden.  With its warm vocals, a moving tempo, dancing and shadowy synths as well as Gonzalez’s trademark classical guitar work, The Rope and Summit proves to be a beautiful and highly enjoyable EP.

While opening track “The Rope and Summit” may get a little repetitive with Gonzalez singing, “Got a rope and summit/ Got a rope and summit/ But we need to wake up/ We need to wake up”, it is a powerful track which only seems to build in momentum over its five and a half minute length.  Comparatively, “Far Away” releases itself in a frenzy of drum, synth and strumming, before finally reaching a steady tempo driven by Arava’s percussive talents.  “At The Doors” is perhaps the EP’s best track, a dynamic piece accompanied by Gonzalez’s soft melodic vocals.  While the lyrics to this track haven’t been released anywhere as far as I know, for all I care he could be singing about anything and it wouldn’t diminish the quality of the song.  Finally the release comes to an end with “Loops”, a very mellow and chilled out track driven by softly tapping drums and rich vocals.

Due to their diverse blend of musical styles, I’m rather hesitant to associate Junip’s sound with any one genre.  However, The Rope and Summit can probably be best described as a blend of acoustic, folk and alternative.  It’s a rare opportunity to listen to a record from beginning to end and being able to clearly differentiate each song from the other, but being able to enjoy them all; there are no duds here.  For me, this is easily one of those “sitting-on-public-transport-or-car-and-staring-out-the-window-music” compilations.

The Rope and Summit has already received positive responses from listeners on Last.FM.  This EP is fresh and moving, but best of all can be obtained for free.  Listen to it from beginning to end for a strong and driving but sincere experience.  Gonzalez’s trademark soft vocal melodies and the emphatic percussion make this record an undoubting win for me.

A copy of the 4-track EP can be downloaded from Junip’s official website.

By Sally Zou