Local Music Review: Wroclaw Ingleton – Julia Rampant

Wroclaw Ingleton
Julia Rampant

Self-Released
Street: 09.14.18
Wroclaw Ingleton = Airborne Toxic Event + Richard Buckner

Julia Rampant, a new album from Wroclaw Ingleton, includes a handful of solid tracks and catchy, pop-ish tunes. There are 10 songs on the record, and they seem to alternate between simple, stripped-down folk tunes complete with narratives of the forlorn and more upbeat, dance-like affairs. Now, the poppy tracks also have a bit of the lyrical misery, but it’s slightly masked over with the production, manufactured beats and a quicker tempo. It’s certainly a decent listen, and I don’t know if this is Wroclaw’s first attempt or not. If Julia Rampant is a debut, it’s a good one, filled with songs touching lightly on deeper ideas and feelings. Ingleton has something here, something relevant for the present, but also something pointing toward his future.

The album starts with “The Simple Song,” and the track is an embodiment of its title. It is straight forward with a positive message and relatability—a great way to start an album. Then there are a couple of songs that sound as though they have come straight from alternative radio stations circa a decade ago. That may sound like a negative thing, but I don’t mean it negatively at all those are just the recollections songs like “Basin,” and “Cardio” conjure in my mind.

“Feris Soul” is and “Memories” are heartfelt songs, teeming with loss and longing, moving on and moving forward, both of which are well done and easy to enjoy. I do feel the highlight of the album is “Monarch.” The song is the most complex in sound, imagery and in its stacked layers of auditory trappings. The guitar is perfectly added here, as is the harmonized humming in the background. The whole song comes together well as the centerpiece of the entire project.

All in all, Julia Rampant is solid, debut or otherwise. Ingleton’s album deserves some play on your device and maybe some air time. –Billy Swartzfager