Twelve Track Review #3

Zomby – It’s Time

Really like this track. It’s almost a bit Groove Armada in the treble, but the drum and bass tracks are underground and heavy. There’s some nice vocal samples that tides you over between sections, and some decent sci-fi sounds around 1.30 in. It’s perhaps a bit long for my liking, but I assume that’s so it can be mixed easily.

Wax Idols – Dethrone

Nice rail-ride indie music from the Wax idols. The vocals aren’t particularly to my taste, but the drums are tight, the bass thick and the guitar twangly. The chorus has touches of Bono’s wail in it, which is interesting, but overall the vocals let this track down for me.

Olivier Libaux (feat Inara George) – 04 No One Knows

Very different from anything before – a smooth jazz version of Queens of the Stone Age. Strangely it works – the percussion clave pattern fits, and the vibraphone in the middle 8 and pre verse works wonderfully. The vocals are whispy, but in a good way, and almost dance alongside the music track. If I had one gripe, it would be the incessant triangle – but there’s not too much spilt milk – nice track.

Molly Nilsson – Dear Life

The intro for this track sounds very 90s – it reminds me of kids at my old school vamping on the electric strings sound that came as standard with classroom keyboards. The track’s fast tempo, and the kick drum hits four to the floor. It’s a bit disappointing – if I’m brutally honest it sounds like something a young me (and co) used to naively put together in Dance eJay, but with half spoken/half sung vocals overlaid.

Halo Halo – Sunshine Kim

Any song called Sunshine Kim has to feature a cowbell by law, apparently. Thankfully – this one is legally compliant. It’s a mixture of folky instruments and percussion – with some questionable vocals during the verse. Once we reach the chorus – the vocals pick up form and the whole track comes together a bit more. It’s nice enough – I’d like to hear what else they’ve done to make a better assessment on the whole band.

Camera Obscura – Do it again

Really nice indie rock. The guitar intro sounds like it could feature on an episode of the Inbetweeners (I’m not sure if that’s a good thing, but it probably is.) The female vocals work really nicely – and the harmonies that start during the first chorus are great. There’s a synth track in the background that buzzes around, following the chord roots, which I think works really well. The guitar solo around 2.10 is simple and straight, but fits, and it fades out nicely at the end.

Tunng – The Village

Really like the intro to this track – it’s beautifully layered and there’s an interesting synth sound used. There’s a syncopated rhythm between the clapping and the backing – which sounds a bit like slap back. The chorus is interesting, with male and female vocals. It sounds fairly new and different – and the choice of instrumentation is great.

The Riot Squad – I am waiting for my man

Nice happy harmonica starts this, followed by 60s style guitar. In fact, the whole track sounds like it was recorded in the 60s. A minute ago I wrote it sounded like the vocalist had based himself upon David Bowie. It sounded so much like Bowie I had to google it. It is Bowie, in the 60s.
That explains a lot. The harmonica is probably the best bit. The brass is a bit distracting, almost annoying, but the track’s nice enough.

Iasos – Crystal Petals

Weird and glistening throughout. Sort of like whale song, if said whale was holding some wind chimes. There’s a slight crescendo about three quarters through, and a major crescendo near the end, but overall this track is twinkly incidental music that would probably sound great backing a film. But doesn’t sound so great on it’s own.

Lovett – Black Curtain (2013)

Amazing intro on this track – it sounds like it could be used in a hollywood movie. The verse sounds a bit like a Sean Lennon track I used to listen to – it’s fairly standard pop rock – but it’s nicely treated. There’s a touch of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds about it – no bad thing in my books. The chorus is interesting, and the bass and drums are tight as siblings throughout. Can’t wait to check out what else they’ve done.

Stellar Om Source – Elite Excel

Pretty electronica, but repetitive as hell – my heart sunk after the first minute when I saw it was nearly 7 minutes long. There’s some interesting thoughts in it – there’s a synth pattern around 1.15 that I like, and a sort of deconstructed bass line around 2.40 for a beat or two – but overall it’s not my bag.

Goldheart Assembly – Sad Sad Stage

Beautiful echoey drums back this huge sounding pop song. Vocals laden with chorus, strings and jumpy bass guitar – it’s a nice vintage, laid back track but unfortunately it sounds almost exactly like Guillemots. I love the Guillemots, so that’s no bad thing, but it isn’t original. Creativity is not copying, as they say. Nice track all the same.