Sempervivi- Artifacts (EP Review)

Sempervivi is the newest musical output from Derek Price who most recently was a member of Analog Apostles and previously most known as being the front man for the now defunct Stellar Kin. After Analog Apostles broke up Price decided to go back to his front man roots to try his hand at this new solo project. He paired back up with Bad Apple Records to release the projects debut EP, Artifacts.

In many ways Sempervivi is Price returning to his bread and butter. His role in Analog Apostles had him show off some skills, but ultimately to me Price will always be more of a front man. Honestly I'll probably always see him as the front man of Stellar Kin no matter how long it's been since they played their last show. With this solo release it's almost a return to form for him and in a lot of ways it wouldn't be hard to see how these songs could feel like a more mature, current version of what Stellar Kin could have released had they continued on as a band. As an added bonus Price re-works an old Stellar Kin song "Tonight (Only You)" featuring Taylor Dooley (from Traveler/Wintering) on vocals. Dooley's vocals are a welcomed addition to the song and she once again shows off her great vocals which pairs nicely with Price's stalwart Midwestern emo vocal style. The updated reworking is a really neat addition to the EP and an ultimate standout. I'm sure fans of Stellar Kin will definitely gravitate towards the song. "Open Hands" is another standout. I like Price's more mellow vocals over the more somber guitar parts of the song. It's a really good fall song. I think it has some really nice melody and it's catchy. "Sweetheart" is an instrumental jam that has Price riffing and showcasing his guitar abilities. It's a neat midway point for the EP and I think a lot of the guitar work is pretty catchy and ear pleasing.

Overall I think this is one of the more standout projects that Derek Price has been involved with in a really long time, maybe even since his Stellar Kin days. It's a pretty breezy, fun EP with a lot of catchy guitar work, solid vocal performances, and an all around good batch of songs. If you were ever a fan of Stellar Kin then this is definitely for you. If you just enjoy emo/punk with tinges of alternative pop then I think you will probably enjoy it as well. Overall, I'd recommend checking it out!