Album: Fever
Band: Canopy Climbers

Technology is perhaps one of humankind’s crowning achievements. It allows me to introduce you to new music every week, I am able to connect with different types of musicians all over the planet, and, most importantly for AU students, technology has allowed us to learn and grow as people. For the members of Canopy Climbers, technology brought them together, and allows them to create.

Formed in 2009, Alan Benjamin Thomas, Cory Allen Nelson, and Nathan Andrew Miller live in three different cities and write and record their music via the internet. Appropriately, their sound is reminiscent of the 80s electronic sound with a modern spin. There are tinges of pop and electronica that combine with artistically created dance music, and the odd disco-inspired beat.

Fever is the trio’s latest EP and is now available on iTunes. The sound is, with the exception of one song, lively, and the lyrics are romantic, perfectly timed for summer. Canopy Climbers can be best compared to The Killers, Of Monsters and Men, Passion Pit, and Young the Giant.

There are six tracks on this EP, giving you a good sample of the Canopy Climbers sound. However, when I checked out some of their previous albums, I preferred their past work to the songs on this EP. I found the music on Fever to be heavily influenced by a more mainstream pop sound. Compared to the music I listened to on their album Distances, their latest EP is very different. But different is not necessarily a bad thing. As bands grow and evolve it is only natural for their sound to change. I just happen to prefer their earlier work.

There are two tracks on Fever that I do like though. “Mistake” leads off with a soft and heart-wrenching piano solo. The sound is basic, with simple vocals, piano, and guitar, and the added electronic effects later on in the song elevate the sound beyond a melancholy love song to a beautiful melody that speaks of a forlorn love.

The second song that I like on this EP is “Number”. The song is very electronic and reminds me of the music from Passion Pit. The singing is more pop-influenced that I typically prefer and the lyrics are somewhat repetitive, but the electronic music and surprising guitar solo make the song for me.

Overall, Fever is a good EP to add to your summer playlist if you are a fan of electronic pop music. Although I still prefer their previous albums and EP, the songs on Fever have their charms, and I’m looking forward to Canopy Climbers’ next release.

Samantha Stevens is an aspiring writer who loves combining her love for literature with photography, painting, music, and all creative pursuits.