I think that the collegiate echelon the Tarpeggios rapidly reached during the last six years has become both a blessing and a curse: wonderful for the recognition but harmful because it hampers branching outward or simply maintaining the status quo because of expectations. The 2023 release of After the Light is an unfortunate result of setting high standards for yourself and reaching them when the world expects you to surpass them.

At less than 10 minutes, the EP is worth a listen or two or 20. It isn't going to tax your time or brain power; it will simply exist in a plane of pleasantness. There is nothing horrible about the recording, just like there is nothing overly exciting about it either. There are not a lot of consistent moments where the listener thinks "this is some majestic music making". Perhaps the closet for me is the 1:50-2:05 section of Cellophane where Sindhura Kondaveeti just completely opens up on the "I" diphthong and captivates the very essence of the song. I don't know what it is specifically that is so electrifying about those 15 seconds, but to quote the song Didn't I do it for you?, Yes... yes you did with aplomb. Almost as engaging is the transition between the opening appetizer track Dawn FM into Life Itself. I actually like Dawn FM as a standalone track — there's something so very Chris Rishel era Voices in Your Head about it and that's just awesome. The line "What's the rush? Just relax" comes out of nowhere and yet segues into the drum intro of Life Itself flawlessly.

But those 30 seconds aren't nearly enough. And that's the barrier I have with being enthralled with this recording. It is good. Not a lot of flaws in blend or production as the musicianship remains top notch and the talent behind the board are just as strong as ever. The arrangements are sufficient especially with almost half the group having a hand in the development and creation of each track. That's simply a lot of coordination and consensus building skill on display that should be commended.

So while After the Light could be the epitome of achievements for say 90% of the collegiate population, it doesn't reach the heights that The Tarps have set for themselves. Funnily enough, I said that in my review of their last recording Push to Start that "Push to Start doesn't work as well as it should as a collected EP. As singles, each of them bangzoom to the rafters. It's the mandated comparison that brings the project as a whole down." The opposite is the case here. It is such a cohesive listening experience and thematic story, but the songs are more forgettable than sweet. And as I'm generally a sucker for banging tracks over simple artistic achievement, in comparison this release is a little lesser.

My goodness, another EP from the Tarpeggios?! At this point, I'm starting to wonder if they just live in the studio and Zoom into their classes from there. Seriously, though, I get very excited whenever I see that I have the chance to listen to this amazing co-ed group from UNC Chapel Hill, and this EP is another solid representation of what I have come to expect from the Tarpeggios. However, while it is a very good EP in a vacuum, it falls slightly short of what other Tarpeggios records of recent past have displayed.

The EP After the Light is a reproduction of the group's ICCA set from 2022, and after a brief intro in Dawn FM, the EP truly comes alive with Glass Animals' Life Itself. Soloists Adi Pillai and Kapeka Rohy each are great soloists on their own on this track, but they really stand out when they are in duet — their voices fit each other beautifully, and also blend well with the background vocals throughout. The star of the track, however, is Kapil Ramanarayanan and his slick percussion on this track. Don't get me wrong, Ramanarayanan is great on the whole vp, but he really gets to showcase his skill here on Life Itself. It's not just an additional element that he gives to the track, but truly a driving force from the very first downbeat — strong snare and kick sounds, with fun little trills and tricks throughout. I absolutely love the upward run around the 1:07 mark leading into the second verse. There have been plenty of times where I've heard (either though a recording or live) where someone with the talent that Ramanarayanan has overdoes it with the percussion and becomes the focal point of the track, overshadowing both the soloists and the background vocals; it's so easy to lose yourself in that moment. That's not the case here. Ramanarayanan is incredibly aware of where he can step forward with those fun nuggets of skill, and where he is simply there to help drive the beat of the track. It's very well done, and a huge shoutout to the entire production team of Colin Egan, Bill Hare, and Nick Girard for balancing the track so perfectly.

As for the rest of the set, it's sung beautifully and you can feel and hear the emotion in the soloists especially. The belt at the end of Cellophane by Sindhura Kondaveeti alone is worth the listen to After the Light alone — what emotional power in that voice! That said, compared to the energy and power of Life Itself, both Cellophane and Santa Monica do not hit with the same level of enthusiasm. It's as if the Tarpeggios started a marathon in a full on sprint and everything was going great until they started to slow down...and forgot about the huge hill they needed to climb at the 16 mile mark. The EP just ran out of gas at the end there — for the first couple of listens, I actually didn't realize that Cellophane and Santa Monica were two different tracks, given how they seamlessly transitioned one into the other. Normally, I applaud when groups are able to quickly transition like this, and the ability to do so works really well in a competition set where one also gets the visual movement to "see" the transition, but I do like a bit more contrast between songs when simply listening to a short EP like After the Light.

Overall, After the Light is very good, but not great as compared to some of their other releases. And that's okay. It doesn't take anything away from the immense talent that the Tarpeggios clearly have, and I am still very much looking forward to the next release — no matter if it's a short EP or a longer album.

Almost like clockwork, we have another short release from the Tarpeggios. Let's dig right in.

Dawn FM is virtually impossible to fully review, as it serves as an introductory statement. It's quick and sets up the rest of the album. The meat and potatoes of the album begins with Life Itself. This piece is slick. I don't normally comment on the prowess of vocal percussionists in recordings because they often get lost in the backgrounds as an element instead of a feature, but Kapil Ramanarayanan delivers something special. It's the driving force keeping this piece moving forward. The arrangement floats between the gaps, adding color and extra texture. This album was arranged as a collective work with five individuals, one of which being Ramanarayanan. It's very obvious that this was a performance built around what the group has, not what the group hopes it can do. Soloists Adi Pillai and Kapeka Rohy float over the top of this performance, giving a full presentation. Everything works so perfectly together, and it's just darn impressive.

Cellophane is your classic theatrical ballad. It's very solo-driven, and Sindhura Kondaveeti does a fantastic job leading that charge. The story growth over the course of the song is flawless. It starts very open and gently glides to set the scene. The growth to the final chorus feels almost like a cathartic release when we finally reach the climax of the piece. Unfortunately, this precipice is never reached again in Santa Monica. With all the work that the first two pieces have done, the last track doesn't provide enough closure for my taste. The arranging is solid, but there isn't anything for me to really sink my teeth into until the final moments. The group spent five minutes showing its technical prowess and emotional core, and this track just feels average in comparison.

When all is said and done, this EP really comes up short for me at the end. I was incredibly invested in everything the group was selling for three tracks. The ending being so muted by comparison is a killing blow to scoring, especially with such a small sample set. The highs are great, but the lows really subtract from the overall appeal. Take a listen and see if you agree.