Alternative Rock band Mleo, hailing from Los Angeles, released in the summer of 2014 an album called Sunken City. The 11-track offering put together by Audrey Reed (vocals), Victor San Pedro (guitar), Nick De La O (bass), and Elias Vasquez (drums) contains hints of funk, hip hop, indie rock, indie pop, jazz, punk rock, and R&B, a wide-ranging palette of influences the band manages really well. Sunken City often sounds like a collaboration between the Red Hot Chili Peppers and No Doubt in their earlier years.

From slow tempo and more emotional tracks such as “Paralyzed” and “Change Your Mind” to high energy ones such as “Bury Me There” and “Normal Guy”, all contributions to the album demonstrate each members’ skills, be it in songwriting, instrumentation, or vocals. Tracks like the energetic “Round Two (If You Feel It)” make each of these elements shine. From the first notes, played on the electric guitar, the energy is high and every member keeps up with it. The instrumentation is detailed and well-performed, while Reed’s lead vocals slide up and down quite an impressive range of emotions and rhythms. This seems particularly apparent in the mid-tempo “Hemlock Smile” each layer of which is sparser than in other tracks giving auditory space to listeners to really appreciate the contribution of each band member. These same elements make of slower tracks on the album, such as “How I Feel,” quite magnetic.

Mleo’s sounds will capture many a listener’s attention, while the talent of each member and the quality of the end product will no doubt make of many of them happy. The band currently has a new single out, titled “Ridiculous”. Tracks are available for streaming on SoundCloud, and more information about the band is available on both its official website and its Facebook page.

Pictures provided by Independent Music Promotions.