AMG Review of Lottery

Corey Apar
All Music Guide

Denali may have disbanded, but lead singer Maura Davis has carried the group's moodiness over into her subsequent project, Ambulette. The Lottery, the first offering from the band to whet curious indie rock palates, is made up of four original songs and a haunting cover of the poignant "If You Go Away." Dark and intimate in nature, this EP is made all the more intoxicating by Davis' compelling voice, making it perfect for late-night listening. "I've Got More" confidently rises and falls among lighthearted guitars and a mysterious atmosphere, while the slow ambience of "When I See You" benefits from delicate vocals that grow steadily more passionate. The brooding instrumentation of "Fall" is highlighted by a captivating Mellotron, and the aggressive standout "Seconds Until Midnight" uses overlapping background vocals to maximum effect. And while it's admittedly pretty hard to go wrong with Davis singing in the first place, Ambulette as a whole makes for an enthralling listen that should lead to a rather nice full-length.