Waters Above The Firmament

Description

A delicate yet uncompromising set of songs drifting somewhere between Shoegaze, Industrial, Metal and Ambient music, the tracks here recall everything from Cocteau Twins and Cranes at their most desolate to classic Sonic Youth, coloured and mis-shaped through abstract production assistance from Dominick Fernow and additional synth from Robert Beatty of Three Legged Race / Hair Police. Funereal opener ‘Waters Above The Firmament’ first draws us into a drowned world of sunken subbass and plangent guitar chords before the emotional weight of Mike’s vocals and Robert Beatty’s bass synth in ‘Temple Walking’ leave us gasping for breath on the A-side. Flip it, and ‘The Pest’ arches up like the Golem offspring of Cocteau Twins and Sleep with sky-collapsing chords and hellish drums invoking the stone cold ritual ambient space of ‘Myrrh Is Rising’. We’ll whisper it for fear of retribution from men in leather jackets; but this is essentially pure pop music in that time-honoured play-it-again-and-again fashion – a wide-scoped portal to pleasures hard to resist by any and all functioning ears who know what’s good. For us, it’s just one of the standout records of the year so far, regardless of what you’re into – give it a listen.

Hospital Productions – 2014