Aggressively Humble

Just like the spelling of their name, Chll Pll is complex yet simple. Apparently the two musicians that form Chll Pll are quite the musical social butterflies, as they have collaborated with a bunch of other musicians. This an indication that they are a talented duo, but it didn’t prepare me for their unique sound on Aggressively Humble, a title that had a tight grip on me from the beginning.

So, of course, I grabbed my iPod, put my little white ear buds in and wait. When I listen to Aggressively Humble, I get everything: there's an urge to dance and an urge to just listen. I feel happy, then I get contemplative—all in the span of a couple of songs. I get noise, out of control and rich noise. I laid down on my couch and took in every note, every odd, experimental arrangement. The album is not polished by any means; listen to it on your headphones too loudly and it will actually hurt your brain. Yet this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

To put it in simple terms: some of the songs are oddly different, but in a great way. The sound is futuristic and, in some instances, a bit on the heavy side, but it never leans towards metal. The tempo is energetic, but not necessarily cheery or sappy. It's upbeat chill, just like their name indicates. This album is energetic down to the vocals, and I can’t help continually to emphasizing the experimental aspect of the album. Musically, vocally, and conceptually, Chll Pll create an amalgam of contradictory sounds. Listen while lounging around in your house or entertaining complex artsy ideas in your head.

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