Slow Violence (EP) - Occurrence (Alternative Pop) Slow Violence by Occurrence is an opus. With 22 tracks, including instrumental interludes, this 72 minute journey is an invitation to the depths of pain, regret and longing following what appears to be the end of a significant relationship. Or relationships, considering Occurrence is a 3-member team, reunited for this pandemic-produced project after two years.
According to the band, this double album boasts songs inspired by Rob Nixon’s concept of “slow violence” describing the unseen violence that the West perpetrates against the developing world. The band takes that concept as an apt metaphor for how the trio’s personal lives are the products of the slow violence of their collective pasts. The band also put together an accompanying dance-theater piece to Slow Violence which we think is incredibly fitting. So let’s dig in.
The double album is best viewed as a cohesive high-concept project and we’d even say ASMR experience, rather than a collection of songs. As such, there are numerous tracks that serve as bridges into other songs, including a few purely instrumental interludes, which showcases extraordinary artistry. The sounds and concepts explored are deeply emotional, abstract and eclectic. The instrumentation is extremely varied, giving an epic and cinematic feel to the entire project. The closest parallel we can draw is maybe a Bjork album. As a whole, Slow Violence feels incredibly unique and relistens are sure to uncover more and more hidden gems throughout as we feel the work is far too complex for a single listen. There is much to discover within.
So fortunately the album is so incredibly well crafted that it beckons those repeat listenings. Every song is chock full of ear candy, impressively mixed and mastered by Kiri Stensby and Jessica Thompson, respectively, from the buzzy 80s synths to the sound effects to the intimate peaks behind the curtain with small bits of dialogue we assume are pulled from the recording sessions—very Janet in that way (and that way only). We assume earbuds and stereos do not do the album justice—this was made for a surround sound theater.
For us, the standout tracks—and by that we mean not only engaging but also easily extracted from the overall work for playlist or radio placement—are You’re Not A Miracle and The Remote Past Tense. The first is incredibly catchy, sing-along-able, and more traditionally structured compared to the rest of the tracks. We could easily envision this as a pop record—very Robyn-esque. The latter’s lyrics really made our ears stand up, hitting the hardest, and is the best example of the incredible lyric athleticism displayed throughout Slow Violence. The Future, Pt 1 is also quite a gem, and primed for a million dance remixes.
The best examples of the abstract elements of the project are clearly the hard hitting intro Blossom Forth—driving in a way that reminded us of Rolling In The Deep—and the deeply personal November 30, 2014, where the band turns an extremely personal letter into a sonic experience. I Fucked the World to Get You is a poem set to music, and we think would work just as well as a spoken word piece.
When listening, we could clearly envision many of the tracks being attractive to film and TV licensing. Fresh, forward, high concept and BIG, we assume that Occurrence is completely exhausted by leaving it all on the table, emotionally and professionally, with Slow Violence. This was two years in the making, and that effort shows.
