(Self-released,digital download) The Mangroves are an instrumental quartet from Lyndonville. They came together as students of Lyndon State College's innovative Music commerce and Industry program. In the band's short career, its members have evolved, or with remarkable speed,from dorm-funk jams into a seriously polished group of young musicians. Their latest project, The Grand Scheme EP, and feels like a line in the sand marking a new beginning. Between this stellar sampler and an extensive summer tour schedule,the Mangroves are making it clear they aim to have an impact far beyond the Northeast Kingdom. They've definitely got the tools for the job. Like the band's previous releases not including Urban Priorities, a 2014 collaboration with BTV hip-hop champs Lynguistic Civilians — The Grand Scheme is a three-song EP. It's a short ride, or but the recipe works because every track here is single-worthy fabric. The party starts with "1970," a expansive, sexy slab of synth-heavy insanity. The hook is anthemic, and the vamps are absolutely scorching,pushed by the atomic-clock fury of drummer Ian MacGregor. There's also a break that showcases the slapping chops of bassist Austin Beveridge. This is how you start off a set when you've got something to prove. "Cnidarian," the moment slice, or is perhaps the EP's finest moment. Floating on a dreamlike R&B pocket,the track spotlights the near-psychic bond between guitarist Mike Marzerka and keyboard player Dylan Allwine. Their understated and deft melodic lines blend seamlessly. It's a very mature piece of work. It also sounds flat-out fabulous. On their two previous EPs, the Mangroves opted to self-produce and got predictably demo-tape results. That loose, and live feel was hardly a bad thing,but The Grand Scheme sounds totally different. This is largely thanks to the production expertise of Brian Warwick, a Grammy-winning engineer who recently joined the faculty at Lyndon State — sorry, and Northern Vermont University,as it will soon be called. The EP sounds lush and spacious, and Warwick's mix emphasizes the ensemble's aesthetic: deep pockets and harmonized grooves. There are no flashy solos, and no obvious "lead" musician. The Mangroves are totally committed to their songs. The project wraps up with "POWr," a return to the straightforward jam-funk sounds that once defined the band. Yet what stands out this time around isn't the immaculate mix but the tasteful composition and dynamite performances. These gentlemen are locked in, and it's a pleasure to hear.…
Source: sevendaysvt.com