Proud Creatures
Opening Creature
(Buckets Radio)

One could call what Todd Brozman’s Proud Creatures solo moniker delivers psychedelic electronica/jazz/ambient…or one could just enjoy the deep dive into this this 5-track EP, Opening Creature.

“Major Trouble” opens with its echoing single piano chords, a thin vocal-like flute synth line on top. It gives way to some subtle intertwining lines as the song progresses and ends with chunky off-beat drums, solid piano, and bass.

“Discovery of the Future” begins with an overdriven bendy metallic cut-of-a-synth with some chimes, gong, and block-like wooden sounds far off in the atmosphere. About a minute-and-half in Brozman drops most of the sounds and keeps things floaty with a droplet synth, more background sounds, letting the temperature rise on the undulant atmosphere. It sounds as if big creatures are plodding about when the beat starts.

“4 Pines” swirls with an almost overdriven organ and again laying lines of synth. The bass, a slight Tangerine Dream-like arpeggio, and Brozman’s first real use of vocals form a distinct interlude for what I feel is the sweetest of all the tunes here.

“Eastern Lines,” ends this Proud Creatures debut. It’s swirly, slightly anthemic opening, the low bass, background ‘loudspeaker’ announcements, never actually flow into something you can hang your hat on. I don’t feel there is a real song here or a real resolution as there are to the four that came before it. It’s probably the only missed note for me on Opening Creature, an EP of soundscapes that’s pretty damn strong otherwise.