Review: Mike Jourgensen - Sealed

Even an extensive scour of the internet couldn’t throw up much information on Mike Jourgensen. Sealed allures to an eclectic point of origin; an album that delights in both sickly guitar solo bombast and the grind of serrated industrial gears, calling upon everything from punk’s mindless energy rush to a more contemplative indie-rock trundle. While Jourgensen’s singing style is somewhat frail – quivering over and about the note, half-hidden by guitars – his stylistic reach acts as a counterbalance; an outward venture that pushes against the insular fragility of his brittle vocal.

“Wearout Track” is a particular highlight, capitalising on the pacier grit exerted in the tracks previous to bathe in the contrast of slowdown and melodic warmth. Meanwhile, the likes of “Upended” switch between reeling fluidity and rhythms that limp awkwardly, with Jourgensen’s voice sounding appropriately lost and uncertain in the toss of the waves. Each track is a gentle unfolding from the last (save for “Challenger Deep”, which drives a dirty noise chainsaw through the album’s humble progress), continually expanding the listener’s perception of what Sealed is, and what Sealed can be.