It’s been many months since we last heard from the New York-based dreamscape manufacturers in Ackerman, but they’ve returned to grace us with the optimistic and upbeat expedition that is “5/7.” I won’t spoil too much before you listen, but I should say that this is one of my favorite numbers they’ve written so far.
“5/7” begins with an extremely loose and spacey layering of wordless vocals from Jordan and Nardo, setting up for a playful and unrelenting four-note guitar melodic loop which combines with clap-heavy percussion to create a sort of inertial and pleasant feel. I don’t know what it is, but something about Jordan’s songwriting really hits me where it counts; 2015’s LP Sleep Songs is always a particularly feelsy listen for me, a trek I embark upon when in need of sonic comfort or a good solitary-walk cadence. “5/7” maintains Ackerman’s commitment to both groove and emotion, and for that I am grateful.
or just drifting into puddles in the rain?
I think the weirdest part of listening to this track is that I can so easily lump it in with the indie dream-pop music I listened to when I was 15. Before you get any ideas, dear reader, this is in no way a backhanded compliment – I’m not saying that the new Ackerman track is developmentally regressive or conceptually stale – I’m just saying that the sound is so developed and polished that I don’t even think of it like music that my good buddies make. It’s both creative and professionally polished, and I think that’s a pretty great thing, right? This could very easily be “the next big thing.” Ackerman has perfected their blend of catchy melodies, compelling lyrical delivery and hypnotic song-crafting, and I feel very lucky to have witnessed the blossoming of their work.
Keep up with Ackerman on facebook and buy more of their tunes on bandcamp.
