Michigan native, Jake Allen crafts a kaleidoscopic sound that plunges the curious listener into a world of endless sonic possibilities, incorporating prog-pop, waves of ambient instrumentals, and complex musical layers. Allen showcases the guitar, harnessing every nuance of the instrument and transforming it into an ethereal, shape-shifting creature that bends both notes and time.?
Allen explores numerous musical styles with his guitar wizardry, ranging from lullaby-like dreams to burgeoning anthems. A documentarian of sorts, Allen’s immersive storytelling and emotional vocal performance offer a multi-timbral journey through time and space. The constant groove of driving drums, bewitching guitar hooks, and the whisper of a longing voice spark wonder, evoking similarities to pop music’s golden ‘90s era. His fourth album, “Affirmation Day” provides a snapshot of shifting perspectives and personal growth through the means of signature fingerpicking, percussive guitar tapping, and lush musical arrangements.
As a solo artist, Allen utilizes impeccably timed live looping to create a captivating one-man show. Steeped in years of live performance and well-versed in an array of instruments, Allen’s dexterity is only amplified when he wields a single guitar. In an almost hypnotic display, he explores every inch of the instrument with unwavering confidence and creativity. Strings dance as they are plucked awake from their resting tension; percussive rhythms echo; harmonics ring brightly; and intricate chords emerge from each warm strum.