Fundamentally Sound's newest EP Suspended is a colorful, explosive, and expressive collection of tracks. And while the entire experience sounds mostly modern and layered with plenty of studio tricks, I find myself perplexed by its end goal.

What's most consistent about the four-track EP is that each track entices and invites the listener to take a listen. And while the initial sample hints at potentially stellar tracks, there are individual elements and style choices that combine to make the entire project feel a bit disjointed, with tracks unconnected from one another. Ultimately, Suspended doesn't feel quite as impactful as the group's previous studio release, Imbroglio.

What is phenomenal about Suspended is its opening song Wrong. It's a beautiful marriage between a vintage sound and modern studio tricks. The unexpected rhythmic switches have such a drastic effect on emotions that getting lost in the music is easy. Although Wrong may come across as one of the EP's more subtle offerings, the way the voices converge as the track progresses makes it, in my opinion, the most impactful song on the project. I just wish there were more tracks like this dynamic, almost electronic-inspired one.

Teeth starts with plenty of fervor. The bass delivers a fluid vocal line that invites the electric pop/rock sound initially executed by the rest of the group. What absolutely makes the track is the personality and endless charisma of the lead soloist; you cannot help but to feel drawn in. And while there are plenty of cool individual moments, I find myself grappling with the staying power of the track. There's an element to the emotional conviction that doesn't quite settle for me as the moments of passion hit then dissipate quickly. As a listener, I'd prefer if these instances were more developed and lasted longer.

Monsters displays a feel more aligned with the opening track, but greatly contrasts with Teeth. There's a slow burn with this piece as the layering is more gradual, coinciding wonderfully with the growing pulse. By the track's end, it's rather challenging not to appreciate the lively harmonies, as well as the well-placed moments of silence. And while the work is well-executed, for me personally, it is missing some type of connection with the other songs.

The EP's final track Still Feel. is more aligned with what I've come to expect from Fundamentally Sound from previous albums. Plenty of vocal character, an animated sound, and a unique element in the jazzy, pop dance offering. The vibe is the most harmonious one established as energy is balanced across all vocal parts, including the cool percussion line. The track is only second to the opener.

While Suspended has a high cool level factor, it comes across as having more individually stunning moments than collective ones. While an EP can be used to offer a sample of contrasting ideas, I struggle with understanding what binds these four tracks together. Moving forward, weaving a signature sound across all songs is what I'd challenge Fundamentally Sound to explore.

Fundamentally Sound is one of those groups that I still consider to be the epitome of all-male a cappella. It's a bunch of nerdy guys in suspenders that somehow perfectly toe the line between taking themselves seriously and still understanding the importance of entertainment value. This latest release is shortened and isolates the musicality of the group. Suspended strips away the comical elements of the group, but the musicality reminds us that there are some very talented musicians wearing those suspenders.

Teeth is a masterclass in setup. Niko Tutland has a perfect punk rock voice that switches on a dime between haunting and powerful. However, the backgrounds are doing just as much to give the solo all the room to grow and decay and deliver the most powerful impact. Lots of credit to arranger Michael Khor Eng Hoe for finding ways to have the arrangement develop and remain constantly changing while still accessible to the listener.

Monsters is designed to focus on the dramatic effect of the music. There are a number of highs and lows, complex and simple chords, and a dynamic that ranges from absolute silence to a volume that approaches the edge of screaming. If I have one gripe with this piece, it's that it is hard to pay attention to it consistently. In the beginning, there's not a lot of musical direction outside of the solo melody. Therefore, the build is almost lost until a large section at about the halfway mark comes out and smacks the listener in the face. It's a piece where I can instantly see how watching this song on stage would build so much anticipation. However, in a purely audio sense, I am not as enchanted.

Still Feel. is about as perfect a song selection and arrangement for Fundamentally Sound as it gets. Rahul Ravi has a bright and fun voice to act as a focal point, and Tutland's arrangement has great balance and direction. Even better, there are moments in the pre-bridge that allude back to the rest of the album and make sure that the listener was paying attention the entire time. It's a very satisfying end to the release.

The challenge for any album like this is that it's just such a small glimpse of the total group potential. Fundamentally Sound has presented itself as polished and energetic, but it's hard to tell if the fifth song in the group's repertoire will be the same level of quality, or if a whole academic year was spent on four songs. Is this a great snapshot of the group? Yes. Would I love to hear more? Absolutely.

2020 became a year of deferred dreams and unrealized aca-possibilites due to COVID-19. Among these was the cut-short spring competition season and the music that groups had arranged and prepared for the stages. Fundamentally Sound chose to channel its 2020 ICCA set into a new EP, Suspended, a title which doubly references the groups' signature outfits and the tracks' real-world context. The just over 12-minute album packs a punch with four strong tracks, but it lacks the x-factor that we've come to expect from Fundamentally Sound.

I've listened to and written about Fundamentally Sound quite a lot recently, including Silhouette, which won our 2020 Single of the Year, and the group's 2020 album Imbroglio. Suspended continues the group's tradition of impressive musicality and each track, aided by impeccable mastering by Dave Sperandio, showcases a different facet. Wrong serves us sumptuous blend. The powerful timbres of the bass section, the tenor backups, and soloist Niko Tutland's falsetto duel on Teeth. Dynamics push and pull to craft the arc of Monsters. And Still Feel. is a masterclass in the many ways a group sound can be balanced. Every once in a while in Teeth and Monsters, I want a bit more forward motion to the phrasing. And a couple times, such as the ending of Teeth or the bridge of Still Feel., the arrangers layer different words on top of each other in a way that's hard to follow and a bit overwhelming. Nonetheless, all the tracks are individually excellent and altogether they would have showed off the group's range and musicality in competition.

But there's an element missing on this album that has been crucial to Fundamentally Sound's recent success: risk-taking. Though I wouldn't call this album safe, Suspended lacks the creative flourish of the parodies and covers on Imbroglio that caused my fellow reviewer Stephen Lanza to proclaim that it is "an album I can listen to over and over again. There is always something novel to unpack." Nor do any of the tracks have the lush majesty or emotional depth of Silhouette. The slowly building bridge in Monsters (arranged by Lee Stovall) and the commanding ending of Still Feel. (anchored by soloist Rahul Ravi) are certainly dramatic and powerful, but neither moment quite captures that sublime feeling and sound.

These critiques do not diminish how good this album sounds. But no matter how skillfully sung and rendered it may be, the final product fails to knock my socks off (or snap my suspenders?).