Album Review: Evan Voytas – Feel Me

Evan Voytas
Feel Me
Dovecoat Records

Feel Me is the third EP release from Evan Voytas, and it’s an uneven affair. Voytas’ sound is an update of ‘70s Soul and R&B, filtered through the oversized glasses of a disenfranchised club veteran.

Sonically, there are many elements to both engage and distract you. The warm fuzz of a vintage electric piano, ‘60s style bass drums, bouncing Funk guitar riffs and doubled falsetto are all meticulously assembled. And when it works, like on “You Don’t Even Know Where It’s At,” it warms your heart and shakes your ass in perfect proportion.

When Feel Me doesn’t work, it’s either because the melodic elements seem obviously pinched, or because the arrangement is overloaded with diminishing returns. The most glaring example is the leadoff track, “When We Could All Float Away,” which features a claustrophobic chorus whose melody bares a striking resemblance to Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite.”

Overall, the EP shows some signs of great promise, but lacks consistency, and features some lazily obvious melodies. It makes me think Voytas could be a powerhouse in the producer’s chair, but hasn’t hit his stride creatively yet.

– Jeff Vasey

www.evanvoytas.com