Coltrane Motion
Hello Ambition!
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Coltrane Motion may be the collaboration of just two men, but the Chicago-based duo’s Hello Ambition! puts full bands to shame while living up to its title as a gem of a record. Distorted guitars croon over driving drums to make the album danceable and magnetic. Indie kids can get their fill of confidently casual vocals and instrumental breaks while those who are charmed by the dance floor can appreciate a tight rhythm section and bass that is audible as more than just a complement to the drums.

The tribulations of youth will always be great musical fodder, and Coltrane Motion demonstrate that they can pull charming turns of phrase from experience. “The way you move, forgot there was a war on” is a slinky, modern compliment from “I Forgot There Was A War On,” and the motif is continued on a later song with the opener “I was wounded in your war / Got a broken purple heart on my sleeve” (“Only Again”). “Terra” proves to be a hypnotic, woozy love song that leaves the tracks that follow almost suffering from the tracklisting until the climax “One Year From Now,” which is a brief but perfect ending with its surreal quality and minimalism. Hello Ambition! might not be the deepest or most resonating album, but it will lift you to your feet and make listening fun.