Not too long ago, I was first put onto Tommy Richman and his unbelievably diverse world of music. He definitely caught me by surprise in all the best possible ways, and I was shocked at the fact that no one is really making music like him. In fact, one of the only people I could even compare him to would be Jean Dawson, an unbelievably remarkable talent who is blowing up at unexpectedly speedy rates. Coincidentally, I realized that Tommy spoke a collaboration with Jean into existence not too long ago on his Twitter, so I truly hope this comes to fruition as soon as possible.
Just the other day, I found out that Tommy had dropped off a two-pack of brand-new songs which he calls Crack Pack Vol. 1, and both songs are as unique as I could’ve imagined. Opening up with some industrialized electronic sounds one “Kids”, the vibe quickly changes to a much more soothing, suave synth melody before drums come into the picture and change things up once again. After listening, I realized that one of my favorite parts is how the beat can transform into something completely different in the blink of an eye, yet Tommy’s vocals are consistently pure and unperturbed throughout the entire track.
Next up comes “1o1 Ghandhi” which begins with some bright, almost muffled synths that are combined with clearer, more crisp percussive elements that truly pave the way for another incredible record from Tommy. Not too far into the song, though, a noticeable transition happens where things almost go into slow motion as the tempo slows and his vocals deepen, transforming the track from one thing into a completely different thing before your very eyes and ears. While this only lasts about 20 seconds, the tempo unexpectedly switches up again, this time getting much hastier than ever before as Tommy’s vocals are sung in a much higher, speedier cadence. After the tempo goes back to its original speed, it’s smooth sailing from there as the momentum picks up and Tommy’s voice just echoes off into the distance with every additional line he sings until the instrumental eventually brings everything to a close.
While Tommy might be one of the more inventive individuals in music, there is no denying his creativity or his skill. Although this doubleheader that he delivered only features the two songs, with all of the transitions and changes throughout them, I left the short EP feeling as if I listened to a full-on album, and I honestly felt inspired after tuning in. He has this sort of indie vibe to his vocals that are combined with some electronic, almost hyperpop-inspired sounds that are ultimately brought to life in his own individualistic way, and I never cease to be amazed by Tommy Richman. If you missed the boat after the last article I wrote about him, you can’t miss out on Crack Pack Vol. 1 which I highly suggest you listen to immediately if you haven’t heard it already.