1st Base Runner releases atmospheric EP ‘Light Roars’

Texas-based electronic indie artist, Tim Husmann, has made his first release of 2022 with EP ‘Light Roars’, a five-track exploration into the deepest darkest depths of indie. 

Better known as 1^st Base Runner, Husmann started this project as a way of delivering “lyrics of the varied frictions of our existence”. 

This EP is no stranger to his cause as it delivers an eerie feel with the specific use of repetitive lyrics to create a complete listening experience. 

Describing his music as “vignettes of a misty dreamland with emergent, pulsing mantras and addictive breathy vocals”, his first track of the EP, ‘In the Beginning’ perfectly conveys that. With an eerie feel at the start, the track then segues into more of an alt-indie tune with a dark twist. To summarise, the track is Cigarettes After Sex meets Temper Trap – with its breathy vocals and typical indie instrumental elements. The soft effortless vocals repeat the lyric “I wanted to be just like you”, displaying a sense of yearning and angst. The track truly tells a story through the rise and build of the music and the repetitive lyrics. 

The next track ‘Pushing Away’, has more of an upbeat feel than the last and rings truer to the classic indie sound with its use of guitar. This track also uses repetitive lyrics which seems to be a well-loved technique from 1^st Base Runner. In both this track and the last, there is a clear pattern in the sense that there is a heavy emphasis on the instrumentals than the lyrics, which are simplistic and concise. 

Track three, ‘Dead Wood’, brings the return of that eerie feeling that is delivered in ‘In the Beginning’. The percussion is heavier in this track and is combined with the use of synths to create a full ambience. Hussman experiments in this track by adding female backing vocals which adds more of an overall haunting listening experience. This track seems most experimental in its exploration of instrumentals. 

The penultimate track ‘Give up the End’ once again returns to that alt-indie sound and feels almost reminiscent of the works of the Arctic Monkeys. The heavy percussion from the last track is carried over into this one but is met by a more up-tempo beat. This song carries a clearer narrative which can be seen in the lyrics “I couldn’t find a way back to your embrace again”, taking on the form of a love song. In this track, Hussman experiments with whispering in the bridge to once again create that eerie ambience that he clearly has a knack for. The song finishes with the repetition of the lyrics “atrophy dies”, indicating a morbid tone. 

Finishing off the EP is ‘Planter’ which, unlike the other tracks, begins with vocals rather than an instrumental. This track sways more to the indie rock genre and maintains that heavy percussion that is used in the other tracks. Hussman once again experiments with vocals by combining echo and strong, loud vocals to finish the track with the lyrics “ethical corporations, not for sale”, indicating that desire to explore the "frictions of our existence". 

After a seven-year hiatus, it is fair to say we are more than delighted that 1^st Base Runner decided to return to the music scene. ‘Light Roars’ is a unique and fresh take on the world of indie and takes experimentation to the next level. 

Aneesha Kalia

@aneesha_kalia

Image: ‘Light Roars’ Official EP Cover