Committed to a relaxing, easygoing style, Non Amer opts for 12 minutes of understated pleasantness in his debut EP. As such, what we get feels like a tease of what could come next, with the sonic stylings on show leaving things wide open for the future.
Opener “cardigans,” which ride a comfortable bass-guitar groove in the verses, kick proceedings off strongly, maintaining a relaxing vibe as rhythm guitar riffs round out the jam session-like instrumentals. At just over two minutes, this isn’t a fully-fleshed out song, but rather one which feels like a freeform introduction to who Non Amer is creatively.
“finally” switches the tone slightly, complementing the fuller-sounding vocals with bright acoustic guitar melodies and background harmonies. It’s a little more structurally succinct than the opener, yet still manages to continue a sense of almost improvisational charm that feels both thought-out and spontaneous.
The same goes for “bottom parade” too. Here, there’s a funk-tinged rhythmic structure favoured, one which flanks a thick bassline with bossa nova-inspired percussion and wispy vocals. It’s a highlight of the release which captures the appeal of the preceding cuts, and runs with it further to mold something more sonically refined, though still keeps the fresh-faced sensibilities of an emerging artist who enjoys dipping his toes into different palettes.
At the end of “MESSIAH,” a slower-paced, piano-led offering syringed with a candid vocal performance that slips into a full-bodied resonance in careful moments, it becomes clear that Non Amer is somebody to look out for in the future.
With four smart, accessible songs armed with the ability to entice a prospective listener without needless flourishes, Loop 1 is a consistent showcase of talent that excels despite its brevity, and can no doubt bring with it an audience ready to watch the young artist’s development.
