Common Anomaly – Iridium

By Devin Morse
Listening to Common Anomaly is a little like dancing in the rain. A multitude of rock influences, an overcast demeanor and obvious dance proclivities form a common runoff; a dreamy storm swirling with some of indie rock and dance music’s sweetest tidbits.
Despite a sometimes giddy underpinning, Iridium’s sound is awash in subdued drama. This passion, however, is expressed with notable energy and compositional creativity. A mixture of digital and analog input precipitates a lively dance mood with a cloudy (almost grungy) foreboding.
The song “Golden” is exemplary of these contrasts. While the percussion draws a counterpoint between downbeat dance staples and heavier rock influences, the minor-key melodies hint at a tension and angst that never quite crystallizes into pain or sadness. Still, a sense of youth and vitality is present throughout.
“L-Squared” is a mellower epitome of the album’s sound. Low vocal harmonies float amidst a spacey guitar ambiance, while a crescendoing dance beat slowly comes to fruition. The song eventually builds to a satisfying, upbeat, and well-configured chorus section.
While the sound draws heavily from dance beat conventions, the injection of rock influence keeps each song unique and refreshing. Indeed, Common Anomaly is proficient at keeping the focus on the music itself, rather than recycling the same old tricks for the sake of keeping the listener moving.
Rain or shine, one will surely find something to groove to in Iridium.
myspace.com/commonanomaly