With the sweet aftertaste of ‘The Road’ still on my tongue I got a chance to listen to Erik Hansen’s whole Seasons of the Wind EP, and I am pleased to report that it is all just as brilliantly produced, as tightly written, and as tangibly soulful.
A singer and songwriter based in Warmbeach, Washington, Erik Hansen’s sound is pure rock that leans joyfully to the poppy side of things often. Seasons of the Wind is the title of Hansen’s debut, 5-song EP, his first offering as a solo act after he broke apart from Fallen Angels, his previous band. The music on Seasons of the Wind revolves around Hansen’s guitars and impeccably crafted atmospheres. With explosive riffs, confident grooves, and Hansen’s knack for writing tightly constructed songs brimming with soul and detail, the music on Seasons of the Wind ends up sounding engaging, immersive, and exciting.
Hansen’s guitars are consistently juicy throughout the album from the progressive and driving ‘Traveler’, with its heavy fuzz, to the hard rock ballads ‘Forever Dream’ and ‘Horizon’, with their acoustics and chorused cleans. A wide range can also be easily surmised from the songs on Seasons of the Wind, with the songs going fluently from heavy and dark, to melancholic, to optimistic and bright, Erik Hansen is a songwriter who is not bound by a certain sound or color.
Seasons of the Wind is a pure, unfiltered, and fun listen that will be immediately accessible for lovers of rock music. Lovingly written and produced to amazing standards, the songs sound tight and wholesome, with punchy and detail-filled mixes. A worthwhile listen and an impressive introduction to Erik Hansen’s budding solo career.
