By: Liz Levine
Rating: 8/11

In One Wind might rightly be called a folk band, but its six members take that categorization as a light framework and introduce to it numerous additional stylistic influences, including jazz, experimental, and pop. Most of the songs on their self-titled debut EP start off as quiet guitar scratchingsand pleasingly soft male vocals, and while some remain in that realm, others dip suddenly into odd rhythms or haunting drum solos. Folk, though, is certainly their guidepost sound and for that they can be compared to Iron & Wine, though their larger size quickly lifts that comparison away from the bedroom tapes and more into the weightier accompaniment of Sam Beam’s later output.

Another band that comes to mind is the Dirty Projectors, because not only does IOW make unexpected rhythmic leaps that feel like controlled tripping, but they make excellent use of female vocal harmonies. Guitarist/Vocalist  Angelo Spagnolo sings with a soft, silky croon that recalls the Bowerbirds’ Phil Moore, while Mallory Glaser and Lily Claire Nussbaum jump in intermittently with old-timey-radio style flair. Add to that Max Jaffe’s subtle, jazzy drums, Robert Lundberg’s dark and sneaky upright bass, and Steven Lugerner’s mastery of the woodwinds, and the band’s eclecticism speaks for itself.

Opener “Two Fine Pressed Suits” begins as a gentle campfire guitar piece, Spagnolo singing in a silky heartbreaker tone before some breathy harmonies ease into the mix. A bit of tongue-dampened clarinet adds a fuzzy weightiness and suggests a fuller sound to come. The track gets noisier and noisier as it progresses, the other band members adding their talents in a subtle yet undeniable way, giving it some heft even as it holds onto its original mood. “Moving” accomplishes something else entirely with a driving train tempo full of random crashes and unexpected rhythm changes. The chorus is one such moment, and delivers a nice dose of pop that makes it something to look forward to. These two songs illustrate the appeal of IOW: they take the comforting, soul-scratching beauty of singer/songwriter guitar folk and combine it with experimental rhythms and randomness that will entice the easily bored.