Music, Print, Reviews February 8, 2021

Album Review: Yung Lurch – B ALL IN

by Laura Giagos

Denver based multi-instrumentalist Brent Somermeyer, under the name Yung Lurch, is not an artist tied down by conventions. If ever that was apparent, it is on his new EP entitled B ALL IN, a four-track peek into the life and work of a unique recording artist deeply entrenched in the music making process. 

The third EP from Yung Lurch (and second of 2020), B ALL IN is the sonic exploration of a lot of different elements. Somermeyer brings together dub, funk, electro, post emo, and one sweet drum solo, all held together by his eclectic vision. 

A background in drums and piano, Somermeyer attended the University of Colorado, Denver where he studied audio engineering. After graduating, along with the help of some amazing people, Somermeyer opened up Catadawn Studios, an analog mixing and mastering studio where his goal was to provide bedroom producers a chance to master their work on professional and classic gear. 

Keepin’ it reel: Brent Somermeyer brings new home recording reality back to the old-school pastiche of an analog studio via Yung Lurch and Catadawn Studios.

That love of analog equipment being used in a modern sense is at the core of Yung Lurch’s sound. To bring BE ALL IN to life, Somermeyer sampled sounds from his vinyl record collection which he triggers live on his MPC in the vein of J Dilla’s Donuts. The richest example on the EP is “Colfax Cruzin,” a love letter to Colfax Avenue, Denver’s longest and weirdest street. This track captures the experimental nature of both Somermeyer’s music and day-to-day life on the wild animal Coloradans affectionately call Colfax. 

If you’re looking for straight up dubstep or electro, this isn’t for you. B ALL IN is the type of sonic experimentation that all musicians should do once. It’s a returning to the roots, a letting go of the cutting edge which makes this EP a stand out amongst Somermeyer’s peers. Sometimes the best thing a musician can do is shut down their computer and learn all the ins and outs of the gear in their arsenal.

Check out more on Yung Lurch at instagram.com/yunglurch and peep Catadawn Studios via catadawnstudios.com