Balance – Zachary Campos (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

The more Zachary Campos embraces this new direction, this tender-hearted, ukulele-strumming folk-pop player, the more I feel we start seeing the true artist behind the music. There was nothing wrong with his more abrasive, sample-augmented, rock-rap salvos he previously regaled us with, and I’m sure that he may feel the urge to return to those realms one day; after all, that sort of music can give you a buzz and adrenaline rush not found in other quarters. But here, for now at least, his music gets to the heart of who he is. Who he really is.

Balance reinforces this gentle outlook by giving him an equally gentle song to inhabit and infuse with a similar tone and understatement. This simple four-chord array is both remarkably short and exactly the right length to do the job asked of it. With its verse-only structure and low-level dynamic, it comes across more like a mantra, an intimate and brief poetic musing put to music. And why not?

Not everything has to be a pop song; some creations have their eyes set on a different, more essential, more personal, and perhaps higher purpose. This is one of those times.