Welcome to 2020k’s fourth official edition of Infrasound: A word used to describe frequencies underneath the human hearing range. In this way, we hope to bring under the radar, unsigned, and independent music to your attention to get word out about those works of art that are needed to be heard among a larger group of people.

As a Western Pennsylvania based music blog, 2020k has watched the tight knit music scene slowly blossom over Pittsburgh’s gloomy skyline as Christina Aguilera, Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller, Girl Talk,  and even that “cute little girl from America’s Got Talent,” Jackie Evancho tip their hats off to the Steel City for their upbringings before hitting it big. Underneath the surface of the rising stars from Pittsburgh lies a scene just like any other scene in a city smaller than the creative, cultural powerhouses (like New York, Los Angeles, or Atlanta). The scene is filled with marvelous talent, an underground charm, and we’d like to illuminate one of the city’s alluring Alternative Rock bands – Big Hurry.

With three EP releases under their belt and one Remix album, Big Hurry (comprised of Kelly Tobias, Lenny Flatley, Dani Buncher, and former guitarist Andy Wilkosz) have made quite an aural impact in just two years. Stylistically, they’ve set themselves apart from the Alt. Rock industry, striving for a minimalist Indie vibe, mixed with synthesized inklings and vocals (by Kelly Tobias) that rival a toned down, more honed version of Flyleaf’s Lacey Sturm. Live shows have also been a constant with the band, bouncing back and forth between their hometown and New York.

Their sound goes for a more stripped down and standard form of engineering, mixing, and mastering – with a main focus on getting the tracking sessions right, later adding equalization, and mild compression that simply help the tracks have a bit more of an overall kick and punch. They’re smart decisions that stay true to the Rock genre and give the songs featured on their releases a precise, polished shine.

Their debut EP Silver Screens shows comparisons to the aformented information in that their debut gives just a small bit of what Big Hurry has to offer, with the band growing over their future releases, but still having the charm and signature sound that’s been constant with them since the beginning. In fact, the title track, “Silver Screens” (bandcamp) shows the bands full potential with stunning song composition, great cryptic lyrics, and one hell of a vocal performance. (Silver Screens Remixes was released here after and is an interesting dub Electronic twist on their debut, much like the Mad Professor released version of Massive Attack’s No Protection).

“This In Between” (listen on Bandcamp.com) from the sophomore Gets Me Low – EP (iTunes) shows one of the more mature mid-tempos done by Big Hurry and utilizes a vocal doubling technique, along with harmonies, and a a cleverly amp’d up-crunchy mid-range sounding guitar, with subtle delays that gives a nod to production utilized on 1990’s recordings, but with more room to sonically breathe. Layers of guitars build a wall around the ongoing and transforming drum truck and has an overall generative sound to it that is a standout within the band’s increasing collection of songs.

On October 19th, the band released their third EP Sink or Swim and it’s their subtle infusion of rock music, mixed with clap samples and a snyth bass that give the Big Hurry their most well put together and pop sound to date. While it’s four songs in length, it’s an appropriate amount of mesmerizing music that’s quick to be put on repeat for a few good listens. The title track (bandcamp) states “I can’t help but think that something’s always keeping me down,” but there’s absolutely nothing stopping this band. They’re some of the most talented musicians in the industry and ones worthy of the success given to them thus far.

Make sure to follow Big Hurry on their website, Facebook, or Twitter for the latest happening of the band. They stay pretty active!

Purchase Silver Screens – iTunes
Purchase Gets me Low – iTunes
Purchase Sink or Swim – iTunes
Purchase Silver Screens Remixes – iTunes

(Fun fact:  My first interning gig was at one of the recording studios who worked with Big Hurry. One of the first songs I ever got my hands on properly giving a song a mixing opportunity as a learning experience was “Paper Trails” (bandcamp) off Silver Screens. Obviously, first mixes aren’t going to be good, so the studio’s engineer great mix is the version you hear on the record – but it’s one song I look back on and reflect on how far I’ve come as an engineer).