We first came across CHIEFS over a year ago, and one of the tracks that particularly stood out from his primal work was the Nick Acquroff-assisted “Stay”. Since our coming across the effort, the two have quietly been brewing up warm and gripping work, and their elegant, collaborative EP, Inside Outside, is now out under Perth-based label DIE HIGH to showcase their time spent together. “Stay” and the week-old “Inside Out” kick off the EP, and though we’ve already been privy to both pieces, they’re definitely worth checking out again in the context of the rest of the work. “Context” is the effort that comes up next, and as it nurtures notions from its predecessors, it also introduces a delightful R&B undertone courtesy of CHIEFS’ luscious instrumentation and Nick’s titillating, leisurely paced vocals. Unpredictable, plodding drum sequences and sudden, oriental synth-accompanying chants further display CHIEFS’ ongoing sonic progression, and they work in tandem with Nick's tone to produce a high-quality sound. The final two pieces are entitled “Whisper” and “The Second World War”, respectively, and while the former is rather buoyant in nature, the latter provides a flawless portal out of the body of work. “Whisper” is high-spirited in all facets, and it sees CHIEFS employ addictive, saw-driven synths and emphatic hits. Nick takes a more vehement approach on the piece, amplifying his vocals and hitting certain notes at appropriate times, galvanizing the overall result in a superb fashion. “The Second World War” picks up on the vibes that “Context” lays down, but a mediative atmosphere is what ultimately emerges, as hard-hitting snares and Acquroff’s see-sawing, murmured vocals show. CHIEFS takes an avant-garde approach with the progression of the piece, confidently adding hefty bass arpeggios, spacey chords, and meddling with Nick’s vocals ever so slightly, and the track turns into a stunningly effective one as a result. The EP as a whole is filled with fantastic sonic character, and each piece, while emitting similar vibes, differentiates in vocal delivery and sonic adeptness quite uniquely to give off timely vibes. It's going to be worth your while, therefore, to check out all the contents within, and we urge you to do just that and pick up the project on iTunes afterwards (if you're lucky enough to live in Australia, that is).
CHIEFS & Nick Acquroff