Every so often, amidst the million blog and Twitter posts that I sift through for new music, something completely random will catch my attention. I couldn't be happier that I decided to give Chrome Sparks a listen. This is a beautiful EP and everything about it is clean and smooth, but by no means overly sanitized; as you might hope from the title, My <3, the music is heartfelt and rich, with an overall melancholy feel but never too depressing thanks to some uplifting moments. It's a little like stumbling upon someone's secret Livejournal diary that you're not really supposed to be reading.
Tracklist:
1. Doubt, No
2. All There Is (Feat. Steffaloo)
3. <3 & Soul
4. Soul & <3
5. Miss You (Feat. Steffaloo)
6. Show You My Way
7. This Revenge Is Calm
The understated vocals add to the tracks without overpowering the lovely tones beneath, and the variety of voices gives each track an individual personality. Miss You (feat. Steffaloo), which seemed at first like I would find it to be one of the EP's more boring tracks, features a subtle buildup that's really pleasant, Soul & <3 is a surprisingly worthwhile reversal of <3 & Soul, and Show You My Way uses almost tropical-sounding percussion well. Released July 17, 2011, My <3 is available for pick-your-price download on the artist's Bandcamp.
Purchase: Chrome Sparks – My <3
