Introducing Shadow Work, an Intimate Rock and Roll Experience
Shadow Work dives into the days where rock and roll was an encapsulating journey.
Passion, soul and rawness. These three words come to mind while listening to “Imago” by Shadow Work. The five-song EP brings in listeners by surrounding them with a type of music that transports you back to a time when music was made for feeling; before it could be streamed everywhere, you had to sit with the artists to feel what they felt.
FEVER DREAM
The opening track “Fever Dream” has both soft and harsh moments, which make the listener feel as if they were in the middle of the climax in a coming-of-age film. This feeling manages ever so lightly to shift your mood, preparing you for the psychedelic and emotional feel the rest of the tracks carry.
SOMETHING TRIVIAL
Following, “Something Trivial” creates an almost dark aura in the air, with heavy bass and drums leading the way for echo-y vocals to follow. This song feels like a good mix between Nirvana and Radiohead, completely changing the atmosphere around you as you listen.
GEMINI
Just like the astrological sign, “Gemini” completely switches up on you. While the preceding tracks had long intros and a heavier feel, shadow work completely changes the path in which their EP is going with more upbeat sounds and vocals that start right away.
SOMEBODY TO LOVE
The penultimate song in the EP is also when you start to feel the completeness of the story shadow work is telling. With a beach indie vibe to the song, you feel the breeze of a late August sunset by the ocean fill your soul.
INERTIA
The final song of the EP, “Inertia,” feels light and airy. Despite Nava’s raspy and heavy vocals, the song still makes you feel like floating in a pool with nothing on your mind. This track helps close out the storyline this album carries; the image of the complete human experience.
While the first track lays out the general vibe for the listening experience, which can be described as the feeling of coming change. “Something Trivial,” however, feels like the pit in your stomach before a big moment in your life, which is then followed by the calming sounds of “Gemini.”
The story continues as “Somebody to Love” and “Inertia” create a sense of completeness. The end of this storyline and this experience, but not the end of the person.
The EP in itself feels like a reflection of the beginning of every season of life. It encompasses the feelings of uncertainty that become happy and giddy, eventually settling into the mundane feelings life has to offer.
BAND HISTORY
Shadow work is a Denver-based band, consisting of Rafael “Raf” Julio Nava, Joseph Szlanic, and Benzi. Their journey began two years ago when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the three members were living together.
During that time, the band started recording their songs in their self-described “quaint and comfy home studio.” Their music direction and band chemistry began to develop, and soon after came their first EP “Robben Island.”
MAKING OF
In an interview with Raf and Joseph, “Imago” was described to be the epilogue and reflection of “Robben Island.”
“It’s like [..] a ying and a yang,” Joseph said. “The second EP explores some spaces that we hadn’t touched on yet.”
They continued to explain that the mood and vibe of both EPs differ because, as a band, shadow work has also evolved musically. Raf also added that he feels their sophomore EP is darker both lyrically and musically.
“It’s more thought out,” Raf said. “We’ve had all these experiences together [...] you can tell there has been some maturing – almost like growing pains.”
THE AFTERMATH
The release of the EP happened in August, and the band has seen continued success since. With over 14,000 streams and four of the five tracks making it onto their top 10 streamed songs on Spotify, “Imago” lives up to the expectations of fans and newcomers. Shadow Work is a band to keep looking to in the coming future.
