Will Freeman's wintry EP shows off maturing sound, vintage charm

Junior Will Freeman is about to embark on his semester abroad in Uruguay, but not before gracing listeners with a chilling new EP, entitled “Dispatches from the Snowglobe Heart.” Freeman, a political science major, is a familiar face in the Tufts underground music scene as the bassist/vocalist of the lo-fi, “love punk” trio Indian Twin and former vice president of Applejam (Tufts’ own DIY booking collective for musical acts ). While he and his bandmates, juniors Soubhik Barari and Thomas Colgrove, are busy during the school year creating their unique brand of surfy carnival rock, the icy weeks back in his home state of Minnesota give Freeman the opportunity to focus on a much folksier project. For his solo project, under the moniker "Spooky Action at a Distance," he has released an EP every winter since 2013.When asked about his musical influences, he recalled folk heroes like Simon and Garfunkel and Peter, Paul and Mary.

“Oh, also cite my love of the 'Memories' station on AM radio in Cambridge -- Adult Standards from the 1930s to '60s,” he added.

These somewhat cheeky, yet unabashedly vintage sensibilities make themselves clear in most Spooky Action material. “Dispatches” is a little different from his past releases though, featuring a far more hi-fi approach.

“I abandoned the tape machine I used to filter my stuff through, which is scary 'cause now you can actually hear stuff clearly,” Freeman said.

Luckily for him, the new, sophisticated sound is downright beautiful. The dispersed vocal harmonies and distant keyboard lines complement the pretty guitar arpeggios that meander through the songs. With the effortlessly poetic lyrics that address the idea of shifting memories, this EP proves that Freeman is a natural when it comes to songwriting.

“Dispatches from the Snowglobe Heart” and other Spooky Action EPs are available for streaming on bandcamp.