By combining a blend of retro influences from Britpop to early 00s Indie with a modern edge and production style, Cult Canvas (aka Edward S. White), creates music that feels both nostalgic and fresh at the same time. His sophomore record 'Houseplant' sees him develop nicely from his 2023 debut, adding a wider range of tonal, textural and stylistic variety to make a really vibrant and intricate record.
The opening chords of the first track 'Sincerity' immediately take you back to the prime of Oasis and Blur, oozing with a swagger and hazy, Indie Rock drama. Yet, the tight drum rhythm and soaring vocal flow inject a more flavoursome artistic flair that gives the song a wonderfully intriguing complexity akin to Alt-J.
The strings and harmonies of 'Deep Blue' continue this artistic expression, bringing a velvety finesse to the opening of the record while 'Act The Fool' makes things a little more free flowing and unrefined. The loose instrumentals and fuzzy vocal textures bring to mind The Strokes with the subtle melodies and overlapping Indie sounds. It is probably our favourite track on the album and wonderfully showcases the very best sides of the Cult Canvas project.
Other album highlights come in the form of the breezy 'Good To Me', which feels much more modern with its melodic, vocal-led Indie Pop vibes, and 'So Pure' a dance-worthy Indie hit. This is the catchiest song on the record and an instant earworm. Its bouncy rhythm, memorable chorus and occasional expressive vocal calls would make it a super fun live track too.
There's so much range on this album that its hard not to fall in love with at least some of the songs, whatever your tastes may be.
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