Since their 2014 breakout hit “Class Historian,” Tulsa-based indie band Broncho has become known for reinvention and musical innovation. The quartet is made up of Ryan Lindsey on vocals and guitar, Ben King on guitar, Penny Pitchlynn on bass, and Nathan Price on drums. Broncho’s fifth studio album, Natural Pleasure, is their most interesting album yet, with its unique sound and complex production.
After you press play on Natural Pleasure, it’s easy to forget you’re listening to anything at all. This is in no way because the album is forgettable, but because the music is so atmospheric and listenable that it just feels like it is part of your world immediately, and hearing it is as natural as hearing the wind. Each song melts into the next seamlessly, creating a lush audio experience that is equal parts chill shoegaze and frenetic psychedelia. This album is best listened to in its entirety in one sitting to get the full effect.
“Get Gone” stands out as the album’s most danceable track. With a thrumming beat, intoxicating melody, and shimmering vocals, it transports the listener to a hazy Studio 54-style disco dream. The track builds as it goes, layer upon layer of musical texture creating an alchemic sound that washes over you. This track simultaneously reminds us why Broncho was an indie darling a decade ago and highlights how the band has stepped into a bolder, more mature sound.
“You Got Me” is another favourite on the album. This introspective ballad is about the transformative experience of becoming a parent (Lindsey is now a father of two), so it is fitting that the melody and whisper-soft vocals meld to create something that sounds like a lullaby. Where “Get Gone” will hype you up, “You Got Me” is a soothing counterpart that relaxes the listener into a chill lo-fi reverie.
Lindsey’s distinctive vocals are exhibited throughout Natural Pleasure. His voice is soft and velvety with a breathy, otherworldly quality that compliments the band’s dreamy instrumentals. The vocals are particularly raw and interesting on “Surely,” a song that pares down the instrumental complexity of the rest of the album and presents a simple, stripped-down sound that feels vulnerable and tender. Conversely, on some songs like “Funny,” Lindsey’s vocals blend into a kaleidoscope of sound and sound like an instrument more than a human voice, showcasing his range.
