Ender Bowen – The Art of Tactful Procrastination (2021)
We all have dreams, but it is often a struggle to successfully pursue and realise them. This struggle has been taken up by Ender Bowen and turned into his EP The Art of Tactful Procrastination. Through the tracks of the EP, he considers the obstacles we face along the road to achieving our dreams and touches on how we can overcome them.
The EP has been years in the making after Bowen had some bad experiences in the music business in 2014. Since then, adult responsibilities shook his perspective of life and led to the realisation that there was still a reason to chase his dreams and make the music he wants to. While he is no newcomer to the music scene, this EP does have a new lease on life woven into the sound.
The EP starts with the title track ‘The Art of Tactful Procrastination’ which slowly sparkles into existence in a cascade of electronic tones. These notes are met by a line of guitar to raise the dawning of a new day with a touch of activity. The toe-tapping melody that has you moving to its rhythm is a little at odds with the rather chilled vocals. On the chorus, Bowen’s vocals soar into the soundscape while making you want to sit back and relax. There is a really dynamic movement to the track that brings contrasting emotions to your senses. The brightness of the melody makes you want to take action while the flow of the vocals pulls you into a state of procrastination.
‘Riot’ zings to life before warping through your senses with a true riot of colours and sounds. There is a lot going on in this track that comes at you all together. The melody has your insides shaking and shivering before the vocals tap against your ears. His voice is a stable anchor against the rather intense movement of the melody. At times, the vocals have a slinky feeling to them as they dance around you and flicker like shadows. The single has a slightly tense feeling that bursts with the electronic vocals. This track is a wonderful sonic representation of the rollercoaster of inspiration fighting the urges of procrastination.
‘The Art of Tactful Procrastination (Nobody Knows Your Name Remix)’ twinkles before the deep beats rise from the depths. The electronic soundscape of this track takes you on an intense journey that borders on psychedelia. The electronic vocals have a chanting vibe to them as they come through the melody before dancing around the music. While the single pulses with electronic lights, there is a rather easy vibe to the movement. You can easily rest back on the neon lights of music and float in the soundscape without care.
The title track gets a new life with ‘The Art of Tactful Procrastination (Acoustic)’. The strummed guitar and piano line bring an earthy feeling to the track while the vocals bring a new poignancy to the track. The mournful strings that sing from the depth enhance the richness of the soundscape. There is an amazing beauty in this version of the single that could easily eclipse the original. The rawness of the lyrics and vocals shines stronger and there is a hand that reaches into your chest to squeeze your emotions in this version. While the original has a dynamic flow, the tender acoustics of this track hit home in a very passionate way.
The EP ends with another rendition of the second track ‘Riot (Acoustic)’. The turn from electronic to acoustic brings a rock vibe to this track while making you sway to the strummed movement. You would not think that this is the same song at all as the acoustic version seems so different. The zinging tones of the original are replaced with a steady march along the path of life strewn with the obstacles we all face. The whispering vocals creep into your brain before you shout with Bowen on the chorus. As with the last track, the acoustic version of this song brings a whole new meaning to it.
Ender Bowen tackles the obstacles we face on the road to achieving our dreams while showcasing his musical abilities in The Art of Tactful Procrastination. The singles move from pulses electronic tones to poignant acoustics shining the light on Bowen’s musical versatility. Through each track, both electronic and acoustic, the message of the EP hit home in a unique way.
Find out more about Ender Bowen on his website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
