Nick Mulvey - First Mind, album review (Folk/Alternative)

Nick Mulvey's richly textured, elegant voice has the capability to become one of your favourite artists of 2014. The former Portico Quartet member's debut solo album is an enticing and intricately detailed record that calls to mind the warmth of classics, such as Peter Broderick's 'Home' and Jose Gonsalez's 'Veneer'. 

This is just one strand of the 28-year old's impressive accolades and talents. Now based in East London, the multi-instrumentalist has supported Laura Marling and London Grammar on tour, been named as one of the BBC Radio 1's artists of the year, and played an impressive set at this year's historic Glastonbury Festival. If that wasn't impressive enough, he was also a starting member of the Mercury Prize nominated jazz band Portico Quartet. From playing in small churches to selling out shows on his own tour, the singer has come a long way over the past three years.

Mulvey states that the name, 'First Mind', explains how he writes his music; based on instinct, rather than thorough, pre-meditated thought. That said, the album's influences are hard to pin-point on the first listen. At heart, the record is classic Americana-folk, but defining this beautiful piece of work into one sentence would be a complete crime. Traditional and experimental acoustics are mixed with delicate mild-electronic touches which form little diamonds in the rough. Although the beautifully contemplative songs are shrouded in an air of Paul Simon, Nick Drake and Ben Howard, Mulvey's degree from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London has also unexpectedly been put to use here. Finger-plucking guitar rhythms happily coincide with the Afro and calypso rhythms; a combination that would usually be cynically judged, yet Mulvey makes it his own.
Across these soundscapes, Mulvey tentatively sings about a world of love-lost, complicated relationships, the judgemental society we live in and the struggle of fitting in. The sublime 'Meet Me There' finds a groove in his world-weary, gentle tongue-twister "after all the people picking people picking people apart". The soft lamenting of 'Nitrous' surprisingly, yet outstandingly, transforms into a 90's style upbeat laughing gas-seller, where he steals lines from Olive's dance hit 'You're Not Alone'. However, it's 'Cucurucu' and 'Fever To The Form' that steal the limelight on the record. The tracks deal with the honest sentiment of the 'yearning to belong' and the difficulty of wanting more out of a failing relationship; stunning and building, they both cause you to get caught up in the embellishment, which fizzes and soars but leaves you feeling strangely helpless.
A brilliant record. The ambience, grooves and melodies here will prove to be irresistible, and this record will soon become the soundtrack for you this summer.

Check out 'Fever To The Form' below.

CHVRCHES - Recover EP review (Electro-pop/Indie, UK)

The name of the Glaswegian electro-pop band sounds forbidding. ‘CHVRCHES’ hints at yet another hipster pop band avoiding the mainstream with their culturally bankrupt spellings, and therefore bound to have limited success and a cult following. Supported by a lack of biography and few announcements prior to the release of the track ‘Lies’ last summer, the trio had an element of mystique or ‘cloak and dagger’ appeal to them. Despite limited media attention, CHVRCHES came fifth on the BBC’s New Year’s poll of tune makers, and supported fellow indie bands: Two Door Cinema Club, Passion Pit and Depeche Mode. CHVRCHES, having been compared to Grimes or a hyperactive Ellie Goulding, caused festivals on both sides of the Atlantic to offer the trio slots to play this summer.
Lauren Mayberry fronts the band with a sickly-sweet, angelic voice, which is sometimes piercing, yet still delicate and beautiful amongst synths and pop-hooks that burrow into our minds. Nothing short of magnificent, CHVRCHES establish forceful pop songs in hurricanes of limitless and godless energy; ‘Recover’ is the first and standout track on the EP with Mayberry’s vocals arching over pitter-patters, RnB bass elements and 80s influenced synthesisers. Multiple interrogatives display her confusion, desperation, or possibly plain naïve nature in a failing relationship, sounding almost precocious with Mayberry’s falsetto childlike voice. That said, when played loud, the vocals are lost amongst the pounding, colossal bass, and this is the band’s one downfall; the sea of professionally layered synthesisers and pop beats are sometimes too matched to Mayberry’s voice, causing the vocals to become lost or masked during the chorus.
‘ZVVL’ begins where ‘Recover’ leaves off. Iain Cook’s vocals are established as the main presence during this track; where Mayberry’s vocals are naturally shrill and cute, Cook’s voice is monotone and lethargic. Warped by computers, his voice wouldn’t sound too out of place on the latest Daft Punk record ‘Random Access Memories’, and electronic chimes  alongside pounding dance/bass beats carries on the 80’s inspired sound. The synthesisers don’t have as much of an impact as they do in ‘Recover’, but they stop the song becoming overpowering alongside the relentless bass beats. The track becomes slightly repetitive towards the end of the track, but stops at the appropriate point before it becomes boring and slightly frustrating. ‘Now Is Not The Time’ is slower paced than the previous songs, and Mayberry’s vocals sound slightly deflated and softer in utterances; refreshing after the previous full-on and dance inspired songs, yet charming and cute, still. Electronic hooks and pop beats are still present in the slower paced track, and it gives the impression of a mature approach to their same style.
Two remixes of Recover bring the EP round to a close. Not sounding too different from the original, yet still completely original, the remixes are energetic, atmospheric and airy. Lifting the original track to new levels, the remixes create dreamy aesthetics but do not come close to the dark dreamscapes that Crystal Castles or White Ring dominate. Electronic and bass-crammed ambiences overshadow the vocal presence during the latter part of the EP, yet still sounding true to CHVRCHES’ sound.
Acting as a teaser for their future debut album ‘The Bones Of What You Believe’, the Recover EP captures CHVRCHES’ delicately produced, electronic energy and dramatic soundscapes into three tracks and two remixes; CHVRCHES have put their destiny in their own hands to potentially become one of the biggest electronic acts during the next year.

Check out the single 'Recover' below.

London Grammar - Metal & Dust, EP review (Alternative Pop/Indie, UK)

If Florence + the Machine and MMOTHS were to have a musical love-child, London Grammar would be it. Fresh-off-the-press, sublime and distinguished sounds push the London-based trio to the centre stage of bands to breakthrough during 2013. Purely focusing on the vocals, Hannah Reid does every track justice with her capability to reach all the high notes and sustain them for impressive amounts of time; London Grammar match Hannah’s powerful, classic voice to a sombre guitar and plaintive, emotionally-touching lyrics that allow her vocals to flourish and exceed all limits placed upon them. Metal & Dust is intricate as it is delicate, with back-burning, progressive, haunting pop songs that are expressed by a soulful, siren-sounding female, making this EP one of the most mysterious and exemplary debuts to date.   
The band focus on art, rather than sickly-sweet pop tunes, with their first released track, ‘Hey Now’, and despite its simplicity, the meticulously-crafted track gathered a significant hype post-release and has received many radio plays. The track is alluring and charming with harmonies that will latch onto your soul and refuse to let go, but needless to say, you will not want them to. Hannah Reid’s voice, folk-sounding at heart, ensnares and encapsulates the listeners’ attention as she gently guides you through each twist and turn of her emotionally-affecting experiences. Although sometimes chilling, ‘Hey Now’ will still have you tapping your feet, or have you closing your eyes as you soak in the gleaming, golden melodies. ‘Metal & Dust’ is reminiscent of The XX with its moodier tone and deep bass-beats that demand your attention. However, unlike their counterparts, London Grammar infuse heavier dance elements, distorted vocals and electronic pitter-patters that are daring, unique and simply brilliant. Guitar and vocals breathtakingly soar seamlessly in cooperation during the chorus, and this is where it becomes puzzling as to why London Grammar have not yet been so widely heard of. Despite the dark themes of relationship troubles and sadness, the song remains fun and free-spirited which builds to a superb crescendo that finishes abruptly, leaving you to crave more. Where ‘Hey Now’ and ‘Metal & Dust’ are songs laden in emotional intensity, ‘Darling Are You Going To Leave Me’ provides a light escape, whilst still bearing the emotional resonance of previous tracks. A catchy, chilled-out drum beat and a subtle, coy guitar create aesthetics which will be perfect to listen to whilst lying on the beach during the hot summer months.
Dot Major’s remix of ‘Hey Now’ sounds almost entirely different to the original track. However, this isn’t a bad thing as house-inspired dance beats bounce with the bass, electronic synthesisers twinkle softly or pulse menacingly. The remix is somewhat disappointing, in some respects, as it primarily focuses on the electronic warps and synths, thus disregarding Reid’s vocal presence that was established in the original track, and it almost sounds a bit mismatched when a snippet of guitar play is heard here and there across five minutes.
Nevertheless, it doesn’t become repetitive and it does allow a slight relief from the dark atmosphere created by previous songs

Deeply enjoyable to listen to, Metal & Dust sets the benchmark for debuts released in 2013. London Grammar have a long way to go yet, but if their future album is half as good as their EP, the UK would be home to an unparalleled talent.

Check out 'Metal & Dust' below

IYES - review of various tracks (Electronic, UK)

Electronic-indie duo IYES have amassed almost 100,000 soundcloud plays, performed at the Great Escape Festival this year, and caused an animated buzz across multiple music blogs with their invigorating, ethereal melodies. Strongly likened to Purity Ring and The XX, minus their melancholy tone, IYES have produced three beautiful demos that capture real human emotions and are filled to the brim with hope.

‘Lighthouse’ opens with delicate warbles alongside Melis’s softly spoken words, “My love is deep, as deep as the ocean”, which eases the listener in comfortably, as an XX-style guitar begins to play and mesmerising electronic synthesisers start to pulsate. The synthesisers develop, expand and become layered as Josh’s strong, assertive voice draws the listener further into the song, and creates an electric ambience that any established artist would be envious of, as the duality of the vocalists takes the song to a new peak.
Their second demo, ‘Glow’, envelops the listener in a shroud of bright, heartening sound which gently creates an aesthetic atmosphere that really does make you glow. Upbeat bass in cohesion with layered electronic synthesisers, xylophone licks and an expertly played guitar reflects the warm feeling of love, hand-in-hand with the lyrics; “Held your flame on the beach, it made me glow”.  Decadent cymbals pour into the song as the energetic, emotional chorus explodes and the bass quickens; the dynamic pace that is present displays the duo’s diversity as musicians, which contrasts completely to the slower pace that is apparent in Lighthouse.
‘Daddy’ carries on where ‘Glow’ leaves off with electronic wails that echo into infinity, while Josh’s vocals reach out to us, pleasantly arousing our senses in unification with a subtle bass and a lightly played guitar.

IYES display their massive potential across the three demos in a gracious demeanour that showcases their talent and excellent craftsmanship with music; they are a delightful duo that Brighton should definitely be proud of.

Check out IYES's demo 'Glow' and also check out their soundcloud; post a comment below, do IYES get your seal of approval?

https://soundcloud.com/weareiyes