chris broke it: end. (the ep).

CHRIS BROKE IT creates "simple, beautiful songs immersed in gritty and powerful swirling electronic textures". Well, at least that's what they say they create. Personally, I feel their music is an appropriate soundtrack for lying in bed and exploring the negative space beneath your blankets.

The duo is composed of two individuals going by the names of Chris and Broken, who had known one another for quite some time before they decided to collaborate musically. The two come from very different musical backgrounds--- Chris having studied composition, audio-engineering, and performance (influenced by Debussy, Radiohead, Her Space Holiday) and Broken being a self-taught musician with a heavy indie/rock foundation (influenced by Badly Drawn Boy, NIN, The Robot Ate Me). With their talents and influences combined, they are Chris Broke It. And they are damn good.

End. (the EP) is a collection of four experimental-pop arrangements recorded within a span of months. It opens with "Thank You Toni", which sounds deceptively simple at first-- "I'd like to thank you for always being there. Everywhere I go I find your hair." It's the type of lyric that 14 year olds might find endearing and romantic, but then the next line catches you by surprise-- "You're the only bitch for me." This may actually be the most endearing and romantic lyric of the entire song. It's a type of love that 14 year olds just wouldn't understand. It's like...You can be a bitch sometimes. But I love you. And I love you more than any other bitch out there. If I was ever told that by my significant other, I'd shrug cutely, hug them, and then I'd punch them in the stomach. Because I'm a bitch.

"Thank You Toni" is followed by the much darker "I reK", which isn't just darker in theme but also in musical quality. "I reK" opens with plucked strings, quickly joined by a hypnotic electronic layer. As if this song was a bit too heavy for the listener, it is followed by "Pavil's Song", a very listen-able electro-folk tune with dual-vocals.

End. (the EP) is appropriately closed by a song titled "End of the Year". Its lethargic pace may be off-putting for some listeners, but it seems that it has received quite a bit of love on the space. Either way, it's certainly one of the most interesting and complex arrangements on the album. This song is worth it alone for the moment when the background vocal layer overlaps with the trumpet solo. Beauty.

Chris Broke It is currently recording their first full-length album. If you'd like to listen to songs off of End. (the EP), head to their space or take a listen to "Pavil's Song" below.

d/l: CHRIS BROKE IT- Pavil's Song (YSI)
(experimental indie electronic)
- space it -

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