"It can be a noisy, crowded place here on the cutting edge of music (yes, this is the cutting edge – thanks for asking). All these young dudes and debauched débutantes clamouring for attention, filled with youthful vigour and shrink-wrapped in impossibly skinny jeans. Their cups o’erfloweth with drive and ambition and a burning desperation to be the Next Big Thing. It can all get a bit overwhelming – a little like my prose. There is, though, a rare breed of new bands who have the confidence and poise to sidestep the pissing contest, and get down to the business of making some seriously good music. I’m thinking of the likes of Beirut and The xx, here. I’m not saying I don’t enjoy the freneticism, but it can be nice to catch your breath once in a while.
Lanterns On The Lake are such a band. Believe me, they provide ample opportunity both for catching your breath, and having it taken away. Their single “Lungs Quicken” opens with the line, “It’s a lively crowd tonight”, before proceeding to spend the next five minutes attempting to drown it out with whispered understatement. It worked for me. Never before have six people managed to make so little noise – their idea of a climax would struggle to mask a gnat’s fart – but God damn it their songs are things of beauty. And since no gnat would dare break wind and spoil the moment, who cares?
Hailing from Newcastle, Lanterns draw comparisons to a broad gamut of introspective dream-pop, slowcore and ambient artists. They nestle down somewhere between Sigur Rós and Cocteau Twins. At times they’re as quiet and delicate as Memoryhouse; at others, they’re about an eighth as raucous (but no less enjoyable) as Arcade Fire. Most of the vocal duties fall to Hazel Wilde (unconfirmed rumours that I just made up suggest that she might be Hope Sandoval in disguise), with Adam Sykes providing occasional counterpoint. Together they paint wistful pictures on a backdrop of muted synths, violin and E-bowed guitars. It’s stunning.
Budgets being tight, most of the recording gets done on an eight-track somewhere in deepest, darkest Northumberland. That lends everything a warmth and intimacy that’s sorely lacking from much of the over-produced filler that gets churned out these days. If I’m honest, I actually miss the intense lo-fi of 2008′s (the cutting edge!) The Starlight EP – stand-out track “I Love You, Sleepyhead” especially worked superbly thanks to a total lack of production. It now finds itself extended and filled out on debut album “Gracious Tide, Take Me Home“. For me, it lost something in the process; even so, it’s still an incredible track.
“Gracious Tide…” is released on the 19th of September on Bella Union – you can check out a sneaky preview of “You’re Almost There” below. I’ve now heard it in its entirety, and I am in love. I listen to a lot of music, usually while doing something else at the same time. There are a couple of albums, though, which command my absolute attention – Guillemots‘ “Through The Windowpane” still clutches the top slot, but I think “Gracious Tide…” will be weaselling in right behind. My advice is pre-order it now, and set aside an evening. Maybe a week" (Vía: listenbeforeyou.net)
Connect with Lanterns On The Lake – Facebook Twitter Website Bandcamp Soundcloud
Lanterns On The Lake are such a band. Believe me, they provide ample opportunity both for catching your breath, and having it taken away. Their single “Lungs Quicken” opens with the line, “It’s a lively crowd tonight”, before proceeding to spend the next five minutes attempting to drown it out with whispered understatement. It worked for me. Never before have six people managed to make so little noise – their idea of a climax would struggle to mask a gnat’s fart – but God damn it their songs are things of beauty. And since no gnat would dare break wind and spoil the moment, who cares?
Hailing from Newcastle, Lanterns draw comparisons to a broad gamut of introspective dream-pop, slowcore and ambient artists. They nestle down somewhere between Sigur Rós and Cocteau Twins. At times they’re as quiet and delicate as Memoryhouse; at others, they’re about an eighth as raucous (but no less enjoyable) as Arcade Fire. Most of the vocal duties fall to Hazel Wilde (unconfirmed rumours that I just made up suggest that she might be Hope Sandoval in disguise), with Adam Sykes providing occasional counterpoint. Together they paint wistful pictures on a backdrop of muted synths, violin and E-bowed guitars. It’s stunning.
Budgets being tight, most of the recording gets done on an eight-track somewhere in deepest, darkest Northumberland. That lends everything a warmth and intimacy that’s sorely lacking from much of the over-produced filler that gets churned out these days. If I’m honest, I actually miss the intense lo-fi of 2008′s (the cutting edge!) The Starlight EP – stand-out track “I Love You, Sleepyhead” especially worked superbly thanks to a total lack of production. It now finds itself extended and filled out on debut album “Gracious Tide, Take Me Home“. For me, it lost something in the process; even so, it’s still an incredible track.
“Gracious Tide…” is released on the 19th of September on Bella Union – you can check out a sneaky preview of “You’re Almost There” below. I’ve now heard it in its entirety, and I am in love. I listen to a lot of music, usually while doing something else at the same time. There are a couple of albums, though, which command my absolute attention – Guillemots‘ “Through The Windowpane” still clutches the top slot, but I think “Gracious Tide…” will be weaselling in right behind. My advice is pre-order it now, and set aside an evening. Maybe a week" (Vía: listenbeforeyou.net)
Connect with Lanterns On The Lake – Facebook Twitter Website Bandcamp Soundcloud
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario