PRESS
Sometimes people say nice things about me and this is the page where I share them so you can believe it perhaps!
"Jonathan Hape is one of the most prolific musicians in the Columbus scene, probably the Midwest. Yet, still few know who he is." - iamtunedup.com
"He’s a master craftsman, and very capable at transforming small snippets of sound and melodic ideas into living, breathing spaces to get lost within." - Music In Motion
Columbus Alive - Glass Cassette
Music In Motion - Glass Cassette
Columbus Alive - Jonathan Hape
Dispatch - Jonathan Hape
Audible Stew - Jonathan Hape
Music In Motion - Glass Cassette
Columbus Alive - Jonathan Hape
Dispatch - Jonathan Hape
Audible Stew - Jonathan Hape
"Catchy to the easily uninterested listener. [Four Stars] ****" ~ Cincinnati Examiner
"Jonathan Hape has written a wonderfully lo-fi/dream pop album that is as catchy as it is vivid. PLACES is candy to your ears, a sweet treat for rainy days and spirited nights. Do yourself a favor, download and listen generously." ~ dingusonmusic.com
"Drags you in a pastel flooded colour day... 60's style and vagrant attitude" ~ soundinjections.com
"We’ve talked about Lexington based musician Jonathan Hape before but this time he comes with a new single that feels so, so, so hard to resist! Is Mine Fault? begins with some fragile electronics that somehow recalls Radiohead's moody electricism over atIn Rainbows and then for four and a half minutes Hape unfolds his enchanting musical vein and charismatic songwriting with the spellbinding use of clarinets and saxophones, while a twist hidden inside Is Mine Fault? lauches this beauty into the soul wrecking space! Songs like this is why we call it indie!" ~ Sound Injections
"Jonathan Hape weaves an intoxicating blend of sonic tapestries together, creating spacey dream pop that's simultaneously catchy and haunting.Hape's sound defies easy description, pulling from many genres, but his reverb-drenched vocals tie his tracks together. Sounding like something from Audrey Horne's jukebox, his multitracked vocals echo dreamily off in the distance even as entire songs shimmer, mirage-like.
Yet unlike too many “dream pop” groups, Hape keeps the pop part firmly in mind. His tunes are constantly upbeat and catchy little earworms, that become echoes-of-echoes in the back of one's head. His lyrics are poetic and obscure, symbolic comments on everyday life that defy quick interpretation.
With a strong psychedelic influence and exquisite three- and four-part harmonies, early Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, and other British psych-pop groups figure heavily into the mix. Songs like Visual Property could practically have come from Barrett-era Floyd. Others pull heavily from newer psych acts like XTC.
Yet, from this base, Hape is able to springboard into a wide variety of styles, creating tracks that feel unified even as they explore a wide range of genres. Buttons takes on a distinct surf\Hawaiian vibe as it bounces along, driven by upbeat steel guitar lines.
His percussion is at times unusually aggressive, especially during intros. In contrast to the dreamier elements, the percussion varies between industrial hits and complex world music beats. Now, for an artist who describes himself as avante garde, Hape's music is surprisingly accessible to just about anyone. His occasional experiments with industrial elements, such as on We Were The Sky, create a few jarring exceptions to this but rarely intrude on the overall laid-back and spacey vibe.
What makes Hape's music more remarkable is the extent to which it's self-crafted. Much of his earlier material was entirely self-produced from top to bottom, with a pieced-together home recording studio. He still handles nearly all the work on his newer tracks, although with a variety of specialty players brought in to broaden the soundscape further.
Jonathan Hape demonstrates perfectly how much raw potential there is on the indie scene. His music pulls together elements ranging from postrock to the blues into a real virtuoso performance of creative composition. While the end result may tend towards being a bit overproduced, he none the less displays an incredible amount of talent.
His work is easily recommended to virtually anyone curious to hear how the old really can be turned into something new and engaging." ~ Round Magazine
"NOT OUR FAULT IF YOU AVOID THESE SINGLES…Jonathan Hape – “Is Mine Fault?”: Does Jonathan Hape ever SLOW down? The answer is no. I may be way off base here, but the band that comes to mind when I hear this song is Depeche Mode – specifically the song “Dream On,” which I recall seeing on VH1 as a kid while on vacation in Florida (a very odd connection, but music does that I guess). The looping mastermind that is this particular manifestation of Hape is calming and has a satisfying buildup toward the end of the song. I’d like to place this guy against fellow Columbus looper The Saturday Giant in a one on one battle, that would be interesting." ~ Tuned Up
"Jonathan Hape has written a wonderfully lo-fi/dream pop album that is as catchy as it is vivid. PLACES is candy to your ears, a sweet treat for rainy days and spirited nights. Do yourself a favor, download and listen generously." ~ dingusonmusic.com
"Drags you in a pastel flooded colour day... 60's style and vagrant attitude" ~ soundinjections.com
"We’ve talked about Lexington based musician Jonathan Hape before but this time he comes with a new single that feels so, so, so hard to resist! Is Mine Fault? begins with some fragile electronics that somehow recalls Radiohead's moody electricism over atIn Rainbows and then for four and a half minutes Hape unfolds his enchanting musical vein and charismatic songwriting with the spellbinding use of clarinets and saxophones, while a twist hidden inside Is Mine Fault? lauches this beauty into the soul wrecking space! Songs like this is why we call it indie!" ~ Sound Injections
"Jonathan Hape weaves an intoxicating blend of sonic tapestries together, creating spacey dream pop that's simultaneously catchy and haunting.Hape's sound defies easy description, pulling from many genres, but his reverb-drenched vocals tie his tracks together. Sounding like something from Audrey Horne's jukebox, his multitracked vocals echo dreamily off in the distance even as entire songs shimmer, mirage-like.
Yet unlike too many “dream pop” groups, Hape keeps the pop part firmly in mind. His tunes are constantly upbeat and catchy little earworms, that become echoes-of-echoes in the back of one's head. His lyrics are poetic and obscure, symbolic comments on everyday life that defy quick interpretation.
With a strong psychedelic influence and exquisite three- and four-part harmonies, early Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, and other British psych-pop groups figure heavily into the mix. Songs like Visual Property could practically have come from Barrett-era Floyd. Others pull heavily from newer psych acts like XTC.
Yet, from this base, Hape is able to springboard into a wide variety of styles, creating tracks that feel unified even as they explore a wide range of genres. Buttons takes on a distinct surf\Hawaiian vibe as it bounces along, driven by upbeat steel guitar lines.
His percussion is at times unusually aggressive, especially during intros. In contrast to the dreamier elements, the percussion varies between industrial hits and complex world music beats. Now, for an artist who describes himself as avante garde, Hape's music is surprisingly accessible to just about anyone. His occasional experiments with industrial elements, such as on We Were The Sky, create a few jarring exceptions to this but rarely intrude on the overall laid-back and spacey vibe.
What makes Hape's music more remarkable is the extent to which it's self-crafted. Much of his earlier material was entirely self-produced from top to bottom, with a pieced-together home recording studio. He still handles nearly all the work on his newer tracks, although with a variety of specialty players brought in to broaden the soundscape further.
Jonathan Hape demonstrates perfectly how much raw potential there is on the indie scene. His music pulls together elements ranging from postrock to the blues into a real virtuoso performance of creative composition. While the end result may tend towards being a bit overproduced, he none the less displays an incredible amount of talent.
His work is easily recommended to virtually anyone curious to hear how the old really can be turned into something new and engaging." ~ Round Magazine
"NOT OUR FAULT IF YOU AVOID THESE SINGLES…Jonathan Hape – “Is Mine Fault?”: Does Jonathan Hape ever SLOW down? The answer is no. I may be way off base here, but the band that comes to mind when I hear this song is Depeche Mode – specifically the song “Dream On,” which I recall seeing on VH1 as a kid while on vacation in Florida (a very odd connection, but music does that I guess). The looping mastermind that is this particular manifestation of Hape is calming and has a satisfying buildup toward the end of the song. I’d like to place this guy against fellow Columbus looper The Saturday Giant in a one on one battle, that would be interesting." ~ Tuned Up
