sir Was is a newcomer to the eccentric world of music and he has been quickly making a name for himself through City Slang.
Joel Wästberg is the brains behind the fresh sounds that come through with sir Was’s newest and first EP ever, titled Says Hi.
Saying hi is exactly what Wästberg is doing. He is dipping his toe into the water to see how far he can really take this.
Mustering up the courage after 15 years of an internal struggle, he has finally found his sound and niche and it is a unique and rejuvenating flare that he is bringing to the electronic and indie microcosm of music.
Wästberg has grown up with music around him his entire life, and was most compelled by jazz musicians like Charlie Parker and John Coltrane.
He took his jazz saxophone playing very seriously and brought it to the next level, by playing with ensembles all over the world. Eventually he grew tired of this, and was overwhelmed with a feeling of freedom that gave him the courage to finally break out on the scene as a solo musician.
Wästberg had very little understanding of what exactly it was that he wanted to do, but he had an imagination of a sound and went with that gut feeling.
Says Hi opens with the single that sir Was released a few months ago, titled A Minor Life which I fell in love with the moment I heard.
The beauty, vocals and simplicity are cripplingly beautiful, and the addition of the melancholy bagpipes that introduce the song and EP give you an understanding of what kind of artist this man is.
He is using unconventional instruments and combining them with synthesizers and drum loops to create a paradox of sounds that mesh together cohesively, along with his heartwarming falsetto voice.
Falcon has a heavy hip-hop influence that has a repetitive slow clap in the background that makes your head bop in several different directions, while his vocals have a very laid back and smooth energy to them.
Near Here has drums that are reminiscent of traditional African music backed by anxious, yet melodic keys that spiral the listener’s brain in a few directions, and give an overall creepy but soothing feeling.
Closing out the short-lived but heavy EP is Crushed along with its timely drum loops and sparkling synthesizers. The tune brings everything together and makes the EP feel like a whole album experience.
Wästberg’s vocals are the primary instrument here, and the twinkling of other instruments in the background are merely there to accentuate his voice.
Overall, the EP is an amazing start to something great and gives the audience a nice little introduction to sir Was. It makes us really curious to see what a full length would sound like from him.