James Dorsett – Escalation & Irritation

Escalation

James Dorsett’s “Escalation” is a hypnotic song that grabs the attention from the first note. Setting the tone for the excitement ahead, the song begins with a slow, methodical post-rock guitar that creates a strange mood. The song’s spooky atmosphere is enhanced by the excellent production quality, which lets every note reverberate. Particularly the guitar work, which combines sophisticated precision with an overwhelming sense of emotion, reminds me of Adrian Smith’s sound from the 2010s. Electric bass enters the mix at 0:44, giving a dramatic element that increases the suspense and the overall feeling of the the song. The listener is kept on edge by the bass tones’ gradual induction of tension and feeling of expectancy. When a piano joins the mix at 1:29, the already-cinematic atmosphere is further enhanced. The piano’s surprising and well-timed entry provides an understated yet powerful contrast to the bass and guitar’s harsher tones. The first crescendo of “Escalation” occurs around 2:30, when loud, melodic guitars take center stage. The tune reaches its zenith at this point, as every component integrates into a hypnotic fusion of post-rock greatness.

Irritation

James Dorsett’s “Irritation” is a catchy song that shows his ability to meld genres and produce an own soundscape. A short ambient beginning creates the mood for the song and draws the listener right into its universe. The song changes around 0:30, when a catchy guitar riff from alternative rock takes center stage and eventually gives way to a stoner rock sound. A voyage through several rock subgenres that are all cleverly integrated together begins with this change. The track’s unique quality is how complex it is. Dorsett creates a psychedelic rock song that is full of attitude and unique personality by combining parts of heavy rock, alternative rock, and stoner rock. The listener is kept interested and involved the entire time by each surprising change in tone. “Irritation” slows down and becomes more quiet around 2:21, with the addition of atmospheric elements. A hypnotic layer is added to the tune by the bass, which starts to produce a sick stoner rock groove that sticks in your head. As a bridge, this part creates suspense before the music goes back to its stronger origins. The song’s last section transforms into a powerful rock instrumental that is everything one could desire from a modern stoner rock artist.