Upon entering I Forget Myself’s artistic universe, the first element that stands out is the project’s relentless productivity and creative drive. Based in Hong Kong for over a decade, the gifted human behind the I Forget Myself moniker is adamant about having released eight full-length studio albums in five years. Eight!! Such a milestone is made even more impressive by the intricate nature of the musical subject matter. You see, I Forget Myself deals in haunting, complex alt-rock, packing his records with a great deal of nuanced musicianship and a wholesome guitar-based outlook.
‘A Countenance in Involution’ is the perfect example of that. Marking I Forget Myself’s latest album, the record features eleven striking and eclectic alt-rock pieces. To be fair, there’s a certain progressive character that we cannot quite shake from the listening experience. A band like Porcupine Tree comes to mind: evocative, melodic songwriting with a surprising amount of instrumental virtuosity. This also takes us to another crucial quality in ‘A Countenance in Involution’, aka its recording quality (Clint Watts of Watts Productions gets the credits for that).
Guitars enjoy a wide range of tones, ranging from crunchy, fuzzy distortions to clean and spacious effects. Drums are tremendously well-played (by Kyle Reece Williams), with advanced rhythms and fusion references helping I Forget Myself’s lush, prophetic vocals in their quest for world domination. Overall, this is likely not an album for everyone, yet we are confident it will find its loyal audience. Simply, it’s a great record, one that deserves to be celebrated and recognised as such.
Recommended! Discover ‘A Countenance in Involution’ on Spotify:
