So, I have a feeling many will have discovered Woodkid through the exposure of the track 'Iron' on the recent Assassin's Creed Revelations trailer. I was one of those people! However, there is so much more to Woodkid, and this EP, than that track.
'Iron' itself is a powerful song, full of epic melody and winding, melancholic vocals. Woodkid's lyrics are almost incomprehensible in places, which makes them all the more intriguing. Upon discovering the lyrics to these tracks, enjoyment is only enhanced. Woodkid's voice is one of the most appealing aspects to all these tunes, slurring and shuffling gracefully from verse to verse, navigating a map of intricate lyrical compositions and hooks.
However, it is in this artist's other tracks the genius and magic really emerges. Moving away from the commercially obvious 'Iron', the EP's real soul lies in tracks like Brooklyn, a slow-burning but highly atmospheric exploration of the artist's love for his hometown. The deep guitar tones are contrasted and complimented by Woodkid's signature prediliction for soaring trumpet lines, which build to a satisfying but melancholy conclusion.
This feeling is sustained by the haunting 'Baltimore's Fireflies', which, although it repeats a lot of the musicality of 'Brooklyn' and 'Iron', still maintains a sense of individuality and progression within the collection.
Finally, 'Wasteland' changes tone somewhat, breaking the seriousness and wandering sense of previous tracks, into more upbeat, but still thoughtful, territory.
Sadly, the 'Iron' remixes do not add much, if anything, to other fantastic tracks and really should have been ommitted, perhaps in place of more Woodkid wizardry matching the tone and feel of the other pieces?