Suris serve up a genre-complex record with "Pertinax"
With Pertinax, the husband-and-wife duo Suris, Lindsey and David Mackie, have crafted a work that feels incredibly timeless and forward-thinking, a lush record that embraces art rock ambition with pop precision. Across thirteen songs and forty-six minutes, the album unfolds like a cinematic journey, equal parts dreamscape and confession. For us, it invited us to slow down and savor its rich emotional and endless detail.
The Mackies have been refining their craft for years, and that experience radiates through Pertinax. Lindsey’s voice, a marvel of texture and range, sits at the center of it all. Undoubtedly, it’s soulful, ethereal, and quietly commanding. She doesn’t just sing, she makes you feel these songs. Every note is intentional, shaped by the stories she’s telling. Her vocals have that sort of haunting mystique reminiscent of Kate Bush, yet there’s something wholly distinctive about the way she delivers a lyric. From start to finish, saying we were hooked on every line would still be an understatement.
David’s production work is equally impressive, enveloping Lindsey’s voice in layers of guitars, synths, and atmospheric flourishes that recall the artistry of Radiohead and the dreamlike expansiveness of 70’s and 80’s prog rock at times. The result is a record that feels handcrafted with a vision that somehow delivers the literal highest quality song after song after song. There’s a sense of patience to Pertinax too, as if the band is daring listeners to lean in, to notice the quiet magic that lives between it all.
Despite the polish, the album never feels overworked or like they’re actively doing too much. Suris’s music hums with emotional tension. Beneath the smoothness and those always awesome lush orchestrations, there’s always something a little unsettling. It’s those minor chords that tug at the edges of comfort. That subtle subversion is what makes this album so compelling. It’s beautiful, yes, but never predictable, ever! Particularly we felt that “Now”, “Whole”, and “Still Life” really took on those worlds of unpredictability the best. But, you’d be a fool if you didn’t listen to the entire album in full.
Again on the production, it’s warm, balanced, and expansive. The synths shimmer with nostalgic charm, the guitars soar and dissolve in equal measure, and the piano work grounds everything with emotional clarity. It’s an album that nods to classic influences while remaining unmistakably modern, a sound that could only come from artists who understand both restraint and indulgence in equal measure. There’s even some horns that come into play that certainly took us by surprise, but added some depth to the already jam packed sound.
We can’t help but say that we felt a ton of euphoria as well. It’s an album that rewards attention, demanding that you stop and listen rather than rush past the songs like singles. It feels handcrafted for late nights, for anyone who loves music that’s as introspective as it is cinematic.
With Pertinax, Suris haven’t just met the highest standards of songwriting, musicianship, and production, they’ve surpassed them. The album is a rare blend of intelligence and emotion, style and substance.
Truthfully, we’ve got nothing but positives to point out here, this record rocks. Go ahead and click those links below to listen in, follow along, and of course to stay tuned for plenty more!
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