Young Ejecta: Your Planet EP
Leanne Macomber is an expressionist in every sense of the word. And let’s not confuse her usual naked appearance as exhibitionism, because as Young Ejecta, she’s very much in character. To Macomber, Young Ejecta is a woman metamorphosized from volcanic activity, one who has been re-born into a different world than the one she once knew. She seeks to represent the “everywoman” through this musical endeavor, along with her production half, Joel Ford (of Ford & Lopatin, Oneohtrix Point Never).
On Dominae, the duo’s first album (when they still performed under the singular “Ejecta” moniker), a dark yet feminine and vulnerable songstress was born. Macomber, who played keys with Neon Indian in a past life, was a mystical being whose coos filled the atmosphere that the dexterous Ford created. The fantastic “Jeremiah” and the ominous “Eleanor Lye” were tracks that broke through the soul of the listener to identify heavily with Macomber’s movements. But the Your Planet EP lacks these overtly poignant moments in the character’s composition and comes across as a purgatory in the genesis of Young Ejecta.
However, Your Planet doesn’t come without its redeeming moments. On “Welcome to Love,” Macomber sophisticatedly sings about understanding the moment when she realized her biggest mistake was falling in love. Her concept of the “everywoman” rings true here, and despite Macomber’s enigmatic demeanor, it’s a relatable emotion.
“What You Done” is a fine example of how Macomber and Ford match each other’s precision. Ford’s punchy drums and 16-bit effects forge an amalgamation with Macomber’s confident delivery. You feel her body shake like on the spacey “Your Planet,” when Ford’s danciest beat on the record seemingly sends the sputtering (and always naked) Young Ejecta into a gravity-less-milky-way-worm-hole, looking for a way out.
While the jams on this seven-track EP aren’t as extravagant as the winners on Dominae, you get the feeling that this is merely Episode 2 of a continuing project. Falling short doesn’t quite describe it as well as simply just falling. Young Ejecta is looking for somewhere to land and be at peace, or at the very least…re-born again.