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The Usmani Collective: Searching EP

As the name suggests, The Usmani Collective is based around the
singing and songwriting of guitarist/vocalist Adam Usmani and
violinist Coralie Usmani. Their five-song EP could best be described as
two sides of the same coin in that it starts with the most recent
material, with two older songs at the end, and the difference between
them is quite marked. Usmani explains these shifts in style as a
musical reaction to life, the earlier songs showing far more of a rock
influence than the later, more groove-based songs. The older tracks
really only serve as an archival reference for Usmani’s work, Waiting
for the Day having a generic ’90s alt rock feel while The Heist is a
violin shred-fest. The newer songs have a smooth jazz-to-light funk
foundation, more grown up and musically accomplished. The EP would
have been better off maintaining this focus throughout as the style
shifts make for a disjointed and less than satisfying listener
experience.

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