We met Public Prism (Rob Massar) in January of last year. While that seems like a lifetime in the past, he’s just dropped his EP, Almost Nothing.
I use the term DIY purposefully, as Massar does all his own writing, performing, producing, and mixing.
“Ignite” starts out like an indie folk album. Somber vocals and a stripped down acoustic guitar eventually fold into a dream-pop soundscape, complete with gong sounds.
This is a fitting intro to this project. I think it stands to highlight the raw juxtaposition that Massar’s music is based in.
Once the breakdown hits, you can really hear The Flaming Lips/The Stills influence resounding.
“Wash Away” is a dark mix of synthwave and new wave. There’s a super synth-y guitar chord that drives through the bulk of the song. I began to notice a dramatic element and synth pitch at certain points that reminds me of Cursive’s unique brand of folk/punk.
The title track “Almost Nothing” begins unassumingly. It seems like it will be a straight-forward ballad but then transforms into something much more complex and strange around the 40 second mark.
Discordant notes strike and it’s as though you’re hearing the chaos from quarantine manifest itself sonically.
All three of the tracks have similar enough elements that they clearly belong together on a release. Although this EP is quite short, it’s packed with effective moments.
While extremely experimental, Almost Nothing is a solid testament to the fact that you can create a piece of art by yourself from scratch. Often times there’s the misconception that you need a whole team of people to make your music. Public Prism is here to show the world that no team is needed, only love for your craft.