Technically this is not a “Find of The Week” as I didn’t go out and find this group but they found me instead. I received an email from Daniel Lawson this morning, the lead singer/songwriter for the group Venice Is Sinking. He sent me their new EP Okay as well as their 2009 release AZAR. Ever since then I have been going through the two albums as well as their 2006 release Sorry About The Flowers and trying to pigeon hole them into some kind of category. I first thought about “inside the box experimental” then “haunting orchestral pop” due to the interludes between some of the songs. Finally I settled on not settling. Simply put Venice Is Sinking is a very well rounded group that change genres and tones as often as I change…well…let’s move on.

AZAR is a beautifully orchestrated album from the opening instrumental piece “Azar One” to the final harpsichord outro of the epically long “Charm City”. Never settling into one place for long the album kept me guessing as to what I was in store for next, lullaby instrumental?, shoegaze guitar pop? ambient space rock? Yes, to all the above.

The loaded gun in Venice Is Sinking’s arsenal though is the harmonizing abilities of Lawson and viola player Karolyn Troupe. Nothing penetrates into my soul more than a well delivered male-female harmonizing line which VIS does amazingly well throughout the album. The band that comes immediately to mind in comparison to this ability is Straylight Run.

The band’s latest EP, Okay, is out now and is being considered a “maxisingle” as it highlights the track “Okay” from AZAR but also offers a remix of the track as well as two covers of the band Okay tracks “Compass” and “Give Up”. Did you keep track of all those Okay’s? I’m not sure that I even did.

Venice Is Sinking – “Okay”

Venice Is Sinking – “Compass” (Okay cover)