Twenty One Pilots, a two-piece rock band from Columbus, Ohio (OH!) have been my most recent musical obsession of late. TOP are a unique mix of indie, rock, hip-hop, and synth, combing them all together to create a musical journey of two twenty year-olds who want to create something different.
It is easy to assume that a mixture of sounds like those would not mix well coming from one band, yet the duo of Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun is a wonderful blending of genres. Their songs are layered and deep and have a complexity that makes the listener want to delve into the songs even more.
Joseph has an incredibly original way of mixing song and rap I find to be eerily beautiful. There is so much passion in his voice that the listener can really feel his connection to the stories he tells. Along with this, Dun's ability to create complex beats does so much more then merely create a simple rhythm for the album. His expert skills on the drum set are complimentary to the piano playing and synthesizing done on the record. Not so often do listeners hone specifically on the performance of the drummer, but Dun's performance is one of the best.
Here are a few songs which I really enjoy and are good representations of the band. Notice the passion Joseph has while singing alone in a room. (Warning: don't be too alarmed by the screaming or the masks in "Car Radio", they oddly help set a tone in this specific song.)
-AG
