Denali - The Instinct

Denali
The Instinct
Jade Tree Records
Grade: A-

As my first actual audio experience of the Richmond, VA four-piece Denali, I was stunned. For some odd reason when their came up last year on Jade Tree I had a notion that they sounded like Mineral or Joan of Arc - meaning slow, drawn-out murky songs. I have no idea why and I was so wrong. Lead by the compelling rich and sweet voice of Maura Davis, Denali are simply amazing.

Although Maura Davis is the captain of Denali, her brother Keeley was instrumental to the formation of the band in 2000. Keeley, guitarist and singer of indie-rock vets Engine Down, enlisted ED's drummer Jonathan Fuller and Cam DiNunzio (of former notable hardcore bands) to bring Maura's songs to life. After kicking out a demo to get shows and generate interest, they soon were fending off an avalanche of attention from both independent and major labels. They finally settled with Jade Tree - an independent label of ample status and resources - after some months of back-and-forth and realized their critically acclaimed self-titled release a short time later.

Though surely influenced by indie-rock foundations, Denali plays closer to Portishead, Bjork and PJ Harvey. This is amplified by Maura's and Keeley's addition of keyboards and electronic tracks to the songs. While the instrumentation on the album's nine tracks is keen, Maura's classical-trained voice brings the songs to life. She had gone to UNCG to train for a more operatic vocation, before deciding she just wanted to rock. Transferring to VCU - the college that almost gets run over by I-95 in Richmond - allowed Maura to germinate the beginning of Denali. Her voice, breathy and ethereal, demonstrates startling range particularly in a field where such talent is often sorely missed. Moreover, Denali contains a bit of cinematic and dramatic flair in the orchestration. Though Denali's existence on Jade Tree may quickly get them associated with more emo exploits - their sound breaks through genre stereotypes and pigeonholes.

The Instinct kicks off on "Hold Your Breath" with some drab guitars before light drums and Maura's vocals come through. While following a standard verse-chorus progression, the song slowly gains in intensity - serving as a good prep for what's to come. "Surface" begins in a similar manner, but travels with a much more groove-orientated bass line and a sweet and familiar vocal breakdown. "Run Through" introduces dark wraithlike vocals of Maura laid on top of a bed of electronics and beats - the opening to "Do Something" and "Nullaby" follow in a analogous construction. "The Instinct" and "Real Heat" take advantage of Denali's indie rock roots and are notable tracks on the record - though the record truly excels as an entire being. Several tracks play out like a journey bringing the listener highs and lows, upbeats and downbeats. Such tracks include the inspirational "Do Something," "Normal Days" and the mesmerizing ballad closer "Welcome" - at the end of the day probably the best song on the record.

Though many bands suffer from the sophomore slump, Denali has only gotten better overtime. This may be partially due to their quick ascension to star status and the lack of time they had to build up a drawn out repertoire. Whatever the reason, The Instinct is a gripping record that will likely drown out all naysayers and produce even more acclaim. The question now is will you be able to see them live given the swath of sold-out shows to follow.