It’s been awhile since I’ve been so excited about something coming out of Christian Contemporary Music (a.k.a. CCM). Mute Math makes music that’s worth shouting about partly because the first comparison I hear in their music isn’t another CCM band. “Control,” the first track on their Reset EP, comes running out of the gate with guitars, rhythm, and some “yeah-o”’s like the Police. “Peculiar People” has the “Walking on the Moon” beat complete with a “whoa—ohh, ohh” jazz scat breakdown a la Sting.
Mute Math actually does Police electronica, thereby not staying within the expected parameters. “Reset”’s mix of jazz-rock jamming, beats, and sampling truthfully was the track that caught my attention. These aren’t computer blips added as window dressing. This is a full-fledged, instrumental composition that rocks like some of the best Hip Hop/Dance mixes, such as Naked Funk. It builds to a cataclysmic drum bash and fades with slightly discordant keyboard strains.
The Police electronica comes together as a complete package on “Progress,” dance beats, Police vocals, unabashed guitar, spooky keyboard interlude, and a drum break like the kind Stuart Copeland could let loose—somehow maintaining some jazz sense to the smashdown rock crash.
Granted, while the first comparison goes to the Police, the ballad “OK” reaches for the clear-voiced rock vocal of Jon Foreman of Switchfoot. That’s a good influence here, and not just grinding out more white bread grist from the CCM mill. (Is it any surprise that Foreman/Switchfoot influenced Mute Math considering that Foreman helped co-write “Peculiar People”?).
Mute Math’s Reset EP is available on Teleprompt Records.
