As an avid music listener, I’ve had no shortage of music to soak up in August. New releases at the tail end of summer capture a particularly warm feeling that, with luck, will stick with listeners as the weather slowly, or not so slowly, cools. Regardless, this month a variety of artists are gracing music lovers with new tracks, and I’ve found myself roped in by a hidden gem. 

August 7 saw the release of Midheaven, the debut EP of New Jerseyan Cory Blair, whose music glows with an indie rock core. The EP consists of six songs that exist as a fusion of genres, with elements of Americana, timeless synth notes, and most importantly, a stellar sense of place. 

The first song is “Other Side,” a track that I keep aligning with the Billy Idol song “Dancing with Myself” despite my most rational efforts not to. Maybe it’s the aforementioned timeless synths that prompt me to put “Other Side” in conversation with such a classic, but I attribute this comparison to the vocal flow of the verse and where Blair’s inflection resides.

Apart from my own subconscious intertwining of these two songs, there is a lot about “Other Side” that will surely inspire different curiosities in listeners. I feel this song requires a certain presence from its listeners, as the narrator seems to monologue about their own existence. Blair has a beautiful, cough-drop-cool voice, delivering evocative lyrics like “I know enough to be in my bones,” and “On the path of least resistance, until you walk in the distance.” This song jump-starts the EP, while setting the precedent that the listening experience will be an active one for fans. 

“Are We Dead” and “Paolo,” the next two songs in line, pick up the energy in a way I really appreciate after the slow, liminality the first track provided.

“Are We Dead” is, for lack of more sophisticated terms, a vibe. This first introduction of drums on the EP encourages a bit of movement, and around the 28-second mark, there’s a fluttery synth sound that I just adore. “Are We Dead” is, ironically, very alive. When the single was released back in May, Blair wrote in an Instagram post, “It’s for the dreamers now…” which makes sense considering how physical and sense-rooted the lyricism is in partnership with the groovy instrumentals. This absolutely creates a dream-esque space, and that’s even before considering the layered spoken word bridge.

In all honesty, the wavy elements do make it a bit hard to make out exactly what Blair is saying (which I was a bit bummed about because I am a lyric lover), but there is no denying that this song is crafted exactly as it was for the purpose of sustaining a dreamlike quality. 

“Paolo” may be my favorite song on the EP, and I love the way it queues up directly after “Are We Dead,” budding into an entirely new shape—a suppressed heartbeat-like percussion overlaid with strands of various transitional instrumentals. The opening minute is reminiscent of some of my most beloved ambient-style video game soundtracks (notably Lost Records: Bloom & Rage). So while I’m usually anti-long instrumental openings, this one really worked for me. Plus, once the distinctive guitar riff kicked in, I knew this song and its rock edge had its hold on me.

Blair’s deep voice is a pleasure to listen to, and it creates a transportive listening experience. The lyricism is very place-oriented and allows listeners to visualize a basement with posters on the ceiling, or a payphone out in Bellingham. The chorus opens up to repeat “The world couldn’t hold onto your soul,” and the vocals have a sort of pulled-back orientation, as though there’s a layer of fuzz between it and the listener. If you weren’t already in love with Cory’s vocal abilities, this track should solidify that. The ambient layers and gripping story will leave even the most casual of listeners wanting to know and hear more. 

“Tide and the Moon” and “Fall” sit on the softer side of the Midheaven spectrum. Americana elements are up front and center with a bit of twang for “Tide and the Moon,” and I think it would fit nicely on a playlist with the likes of Waxahatchee, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Indigo de Souza, and Katie Gavin. “Spring flowers blooming on your breath” is one of the standout lyrics from the EP, and the focal point of the song, “The tide don’t ask for the moon,” is deeply thought-provoking.

“Fall” is similarly intriguing with a whimsical, kind of far-away feel. The lyricism brings listeners through the woods, and as the song progresses and drops into an instrumental, it reveals itself to be an interlude of sorts, bridging listeners into the last track. This is another instrumental moment on the EP that deserves a lot of love.

“Martyrs” is a wonderful conclusion to this EP. We finally have a mention of heaven, alluding to the EP title, and the usage of strings and horns really cements this as a memorable final track. I would call this song folk-adjacent, with poignant lyricism that makes it ideal for listen after listen.

The last lyric of the EP, “I’ll go to heaven if you take me,” has stuck with me. This EP just hit its one-month anniversary, and as I spend more time with it, I come to appreciate it more and more. Cory Blair’s Midheaven will be one of those August releases to make it to the fall, winter, and beyond. Of that, I have no doubt.

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Image taken from Instagram