At first listen, I wasn’t too sure about Sunburst Carrier’s Part-Diamond. However, after hearing the first few tracks, they grew on me. The prog rock meets chillwave release has some dark themes to it, but it isn’t such a downer. Lisa Kowalew’s voice took a while to get used to, seeing how it is a bit exaggerated to the point that one could consider it a whine, though it isn’t such a bad thing for the band seeing how her grungy tone adds character to the band. Even with most bands having some sort of keys involved in their sound, Sunburst Carrier’s dainty piano tones adds a slight bit of elegance to the gritty guitars of “Pennsylvania/Florida.”
“Hey America….Ghost” marks a change in sound for Sunburst Carrier, as cut after cut seems to be a bit darker than the last. One of the standout pieces on Part-Diamond is “They Had Paris.” The song is bass heavier compared to some of the previous ones and even Kowalew’s voice seems to morph into a bitter snarl that is chill inducing. Sunburst Carrier takes their chances with an instrumental piece titled “Powder-Blue Burst.” The track lowers the intensity brought on by the last couple of numbers, but it isn’t out of place or lackluster. In fact, the guitar riffs act like thread and bind the listener closer to the band. The final (and longest) song transitions in almost seamlessly. Unfortunately, Part-Diamond didn’t end as strong as it started. “Swirl Of Perfume” just seemed to be an overall mess and wasn’t as pleasing as I expected it to be.
Some may be put off by Kowalew’s vocal style but Sunburst Carrier’s sound isn’t boring in the slightest. Even with the rough finish, Part-Diamond still shines.
In A Word: Eccentric
