Equatorial Ultravox – Chad Valleys latest EP – presents his second excursion into psychedelic dance pop, a club worthy voyage to widespread escapism.Listen to the stream below.
Chad Valley is the solo guise of Hugo Manuel, lead singer with Jonquil and one of the founder members of Oxfords Blessing Force collective, along with Trophy Wife and Rhosyn. His eponymous debut, released last winter on experimental pop label Cascine scored exceptional reviews and widespread radio support from Zane Lowe, Annie Mac, Huw Stephens and Lauren Laverne. In addition to his own packed out solo shows Chad Valley has toured with the likes of The Concretes and Twin Shadow.
Opening track Now That Im Real is an affectionate paean to youths fragile dreams; Reach Lines shimmers like heat hovering above a sun-baked earth; Shell Suite features a pulsing glow aching to fill the dancefloor, whilst Fast Challenges, I Want Your Love and Shapeless are three cuts with rhythms of phantasmagorical elegance.
The seven tracks on Equatorial Ultravox are drenched in currents of jet-stream wanderlust. Lush atmospherics obscure any directly decipherable lyric but the message is clear – this is affirmative, ethereal, and exquisite in its pop essence.
EQUATORIAL ULTRAVOX Tracklisting:
1. Now That Im Real
2. Reach Lines
3. Shell Suite
4. Acker Bilk
5. Fast Challenges
6. I Want Your Love
7. Shapeless
Chad Valley plays the following live dates:
May 11 – LONDON – Scala, with Twin Shadow
May 13 – BRIGHTON – Club NME @ Great Escape w/ Friendly Fires & Creep
May 19 – LIVERPOOL – Drowned In Sound @ Liverpool Sound City
May 20 – EDINBURGH – Sneaky Pete’s
May 21 – GLASGOW – Stag & Dagger
Chad Valley – Equatorial Ultravox – 05 Fast Challenges by CASCINE
