Homey
Homey brings a bright, relaxed mood to Chon's intricate guitar music. The songs are short enough to stay approachable, even when the playing becomes highly detailed. Clean guitar lines move around an active rhythm section, while electronic collaborations give the record a wider range of sounds. The combination is not always seamless, but it gives this second album a clear sense of curiosity.
Sleepy Tea sets out the lighter side of the sound. The guitar patterns are busy, yet the melody and gentle tone keep the piece from feeling tense. Checkpoint has a similar ease, with the rhythm giving it a playful movement. Waterslide makes the technical detail more obvious without losing that open mood. These pieces are impressive without asking every listener to follow each change closely.
The drums help maintain that balance. The playing can sit behind the guitars and still add a great deal of movement, although the compressed sound sometimes gives it less room than it deserves. The arrangements also avoid long stretches of instrumental display. Their smaller scale makes the detail easier to enjoy and allows the album to keep moving.
The collaborations offer a different kind of appeal. Berry Streets and Feel This Way bring electronic production and vocal fragments further forward, adding a stronger beat-led character. Nayhoo goes further towards a softer R&B sound, with Masego's voice and Lophiile's production changing the focus. The guitar is still part of the picture, but it no longer needs to be the main attraction in every moment.
Those tracks can interrupt the flow between the more complex instrumentals. At the same time, their warmer, more direct approach fits the mood of the record. The bigger limitation is that some of the guitar-led pieces have a similar feel, making their individual details less easy to remember than the overall atmosphere.
Homey succeeds most clearly as a welcoming instrumental record with room for outside ideas. Chon make difficult playing sound comfortable, and the electronic and vocal tracks point towards possibilities beyond their established approach. It may be too sweet or too even in tone for listeners who want a sharper edge. For anyone drawn to melodic guitar detail and relaxed grooves, though, there is plenty here to enjoy.
