Downstater – Mourning Vibes II CD (People Of Punk Rock Records)

It’s hard to explain how I felt when I heard this material for the first time. I guess it was a love at the first sight, mainly because Downstater is unlike any other melodic punk rock band on the contemporary melodic punk rock scene. To be honest, I was not familiar with their music until now, but somehow their sound grew up onto me. Downstater is coming from Québec City, Québec, Canada and after some further research I came to conclusion Mourning Vibes II is their debut EP. This material collects four magnificent compositions that have been packed with brilliant ideas, astonishing melodies, enormous servings of energy and melancholy. What drew my attention to this amazing band is the catchiness of their melancholic melodies, impressive rhythm section, choirs on the beautiful refrains and wondrous capabilities of the main vocalist. Their abilities to express emotions in a very vivid, sincere and thoughtful way are one of the many highlights of the Downstater. Compositions remain memorable after a couple of listenings and you’ll probably crave for more, so there’s a certain chance you’ll outwear this compact disc after the countless repeatings. The lyrics are some personal reflections on ups and downs in life, loneliness, love, and regular problems that struck us all as individuals. The lyrics are very personal, thoughtfully written, poetic, and smartly implemented over the catchy melodies. Downstater perfected their musical expression by incorporating dynamics of pop-punk music with the melancholy of the indie rock, but the essence of this wondrous band lays somewhere deep beneath the foundations of skate punk music, so I could easily say that these skillful musicians certainly nailed it with this fine blend. These recordings have been accompanied by a beautiful illustration of cheetah, simplistically colored in blue tones and decorated with some stripes. Mourning Vibes II has been published on digipack CD by People Of Punk Rock Records, so you can purchase it on the label’s website or Bandcamp page.