Digit + Stas
Violet
(self-released)
Brooklyn resident Nastasia Avrutin goes by the name Digit + Stas and has released a new EP called Violet. A mix of synth and spooky vocals, what we get here is some distinctive stuff. “Find†begins with an accordion-like synth, low tom beats, and a warbly, almost chant-like vocal (chanting comes to the fore later). “Doors†moves with a snapping backing beat; it’s a bit plodding, but there is a groove here, especially as Avrutin brings in cutting string sounds on the top of percussion snapping rather earlier. The vocal mixing here is very Bowie-ish in a way (at least in style, if not tone) and things work best for me on this one when the beat is moving (as it does at the beginning and tail end of the tune). The slow, swirly bits of snip-sounding percussion and chanting takes up too much of the tune though when left on its own behind the vocals. “Green†has a jangly guitar-like, plucky sound and hesitant beat that really works when it is allowed to play out. This one I like best. Again, we get Avrutin’s odd chanting vocalizing (it is hard to make out what’s being said to be sure, if anything is being said at all, really) sure to interest some, as well as turn away others, so distinctive as it is. “Celerity†is another slow plodder, mostly informed by chanting…once again.
