Flyin’
Death Has Lost Its Sting (Independent)

Without sounding too ghoulish, few songs seem as tailor-made to soundtrack a trip to the great beyond as Vancouver unit Flyin’s “Death Has Lost Its Sting”. It’s as if the ethereal title track on the band’s new four-song EP is pushing us toward the light with its warm and cocooning gospel-organ drone, and asking us not to be afraid of the transition because, as singer Dave Pullmer softly confirms, “heaven knows your name.”

Try to stick around as long as you can, though. Most of Flyin’s latest presents equally calming compositions that bring to mind the minimalist psych devotionals of Spiritualized, Bows & Arrows–era Walkmen, and the “Lisa Says” haziness of the Velvet Underground.

Journeys seem to be central to the narrative. For instance, “Come Alive” tacks the primitive punch of a drum machine, tie-dyed bits of keyboards, and a coolly bounced bass onto a narrator’s redemptive walk through flames following the personal revelation “All the madness of your heart won’t come back to me.”

The extended drone piece “As Far as the Eyes Can See” lands with mixed results. Beyond the occasionally discordant shriek of guitar feedback, the 10-minute piece is no more than a wash of static. It’s a little dull. If, however, the song intentionally flatlines to tie together a death-minded theme, it may well be the EP’s most brilliant moment.