Tenth Electric – Unshakable (EP)
This rock band's EP is based around mental health issues in a way that makes it simple for many to identify with.
Label: 10E Records
Time: 4 tracks / 14 mins
Tenth Electric don't seem to put much music out, but that keeps the quality high.
This EP is based around mental health in a way that makes it simple for many to identify with.
They deliver their "message of empowerment, hope and faith" by encouraging people "to speak up and say 'it's ok to not be ok' in the fight against mental health issues." Their faith is not explicit here, but because listening to music can help significantly in the fight against depression, they have found a mission to fight against loneliness and anxiety.
There are four tracks in this set, which either express what it feels like to have mental health problems or provide coping strategies.
The anthemic "Brighter" (whose verses bear an uncanny likeness to Kim Wilde's "Kids in America") is one of the latter, about looking for joy in the little things of life, because often they are the things that really matter. That the Glastonbury-themed song works just as well in a dreamy acoustic format (although not on this EP) shows its strength.
The straight-ahead rock of "Just Breathe" – with echoes of early U2 in its quieter section – expresses the anxiety of stress and panic attacks, but commends taking a pause.
"Remedy", where the synth's Muse-y bass line is audible, pours out the frustration of feeling a constant rage, while "Turn Your Light On" is about breaking down the barriers that lead to stress, and building a community of people who can support each other, being "the shoulder that you cry on."
As they say, "It's about sharing the Good stuff passionately so that we can get through the Bad stuff, whenever and however it strikes."
Each song works, but "Brighter" really shines.