Denali - The Instinct

While not as pristine as on the first album, Maura Davis of Denali still undoubtedly remains one of the most talented female vocalists I’ve heard in years. The Instinct is more consistent in structure and tone than the previous album which encourages a more mature listening experience, but at the same time is the biggest drawback; the new method creates a more cathartic, pleasant atmosphere but lacks the electronic freedom and diversity of “Relief” and “Lose Me.” Thankfully, select rock-out-moments revitalize some of the rather soft, sleepy tracks and preserve the flow even to those people who have small attention spans (me). I won’t by any means deny the apparent sophomore jinx pressure, but I will affirm that even with a short-lived track list and some less than fantastic songs, The Instinct’s ethereal sound, mesmerizing vocals, and elegant production rivals musical titans like P.J. Harvey, Cat Power, and Beth Gibbon’s years with Portishead. If guitar-rock at trip-hop tempos with a slight taste of electronic overtones seem to interest you, I highly recommend you check out this album. [www.denalimusic.com]