I was introduced to Quantic at an interesting time. I was so heavily steeped in the modern day folk bands that I started forgetting there was anything else out there.

With artists like Iron & Wine and Sufjan Stevens monopolizing my stereo, I wasn’t too hip to other new music. My friend brought “Bomb in a Trumpet Factory” to my attention, and I was hooked.

One of the most impressive aspects of Quantic’s music is that Quantic is a stage name for one guy: William Holland. Holland plays the guitars, bass, keys, saxophone, and a majority of the percussion on his recordings. His sound is a mix of bossa nova, soul, salsa, and jazz.

“Absense Heard, Presence Felt” is a great opening track. Melancholy strings are met by a slow dub-ish drum beat. Ambient guitars, some random noise, and finally a saxophone are thown in – though the melody repeats for the entire track, it catches your attention immediately.

Ohmega Watts joins in and raps on “Blow Your Horn,” acting as the first true lyrics on the album. Saxophone is highlighted again. A muted horn plays behind the lyrics, adding the jazz touch. With lyrics like, “I consider you all as a sister or brother,” it’s a feel good song all around.

As I said, “Bomb In a Trumpet Factory” was my first exposure to Quantic. If you listen to the track, you can hear what drew me in. Quantic once again uses the mixture of horns and afro beat percussion in a really special way. Like many of the tracks on An Announcement to Answer, the melody doesn’t depart much, but it’s actually one of the calming parts of the album. You don’t have to think much – you can just sit and enjoy.

“Meet Me at the Pomegranate Tree” is my favorite track on the record. Staccato strings and handclaps support what sounds like a sample from a Civil Rights speech. Holland also highlights his guitar abilities more on this track than some others.

“Tell It Like You Mean It” is a great end to An Announcement to Answer. A harmonizing horn section is looped for about a minute. After a minute and a half, the salsa beat takes over as well as a synch loop. At the end, it finally mixes all of the separate tracks together.

Holland sticks to what he knows. The instrumentation on Announcement doesn’t differ much, but it is consistently engaging. The album is a testament to Holland’s varying talents. Most importantly, it’s fun to listen to. Though Iron & Wine will always be a favorite and hold a special place in my heart, bands like Quantic show me the advantages of hearing beyond what I’m used to.