As a cynical and at times bitter musician, it was with great pleasure that I was given my first EP to review. Oh the power! Rubbing my hands together with malicious glee I sat down to listen, already waiting for my chance to pour acid on it with wicked anecdotes such as decreeing is a ‘Shark Sandwich’ ala Spinal Tap and digressing into painfully long and detailed descriptions of how I would prefer to gouge out the tympanic membrane in my ears with various rusty implements than ever listen to this newest pathetic offering from the copycat band factory again. I’m a small minded child ok? And at times severely frustrated by the hordes of terrible misguided musicians that you have to wade through in the hopes of finding anything to give you a bit of faith back, a bit of hope.
So with much trepidation I began to listen to the EP ‘Rushes’ by a band I hadn’t come across before, the London based Talk In Colour.
Scrap the original plan.
Beautiful is not the right word but it’s just the first one that comes to mind. The first track Rolling IS beautiful to these jaded ears but in that effortlessly unconventional sense. Beginning with drone like almost orchestral swells and then into bass and beats that are slightly reminiscent of British DJ and producer Bonobo. In their press release they describe themselves as ‘cinematic future pop’ which is right on the money: if this is the music then I definitely want to see the film! Hell I might even go to the cinema and pay to see it instead of streaming it for free online (N.B I don’t actually illegally stream online big brother but IF I did you would never take me alive mwhahaha). Richly layered with lots of interesting sounds and a slight oriental flavour then a chorus that is worth the wait, Mary Erskine delivers ethereal vocals that will stay in your head but without overstaying their welcome like a gorgeous dream. Her voice brings to mind one of my favourites Helen Hamilton of electronica duo Death Rattle.
If I had to find fault with it (and there would have to be a gun to my head)my only slight gripe would be that unfortunately my media saturated brain associates the title of the track with a certain track Rolling In The Deep but you’ve conquered the world Adele you can’t monopolise words as well, damn you! I won’t even mention Limp brain-dead Bizkit’s Rollin…
Second track Candles continues in the same vein as Rolling but picks up more pace: containing some lush harp, string instruments, a maze of keys and more feisty drums. It doesn’t have the instant draw for me that Rolling does but instead is more of a rewarding piece of music that grows on you after a few listens. When it segues into Mary singing “back to the stars” in your mind’s eye you are taken to being stood on a mountain at night, looking up at a billion stars and possibly wondering if Talk In Colour are from this earth at all so unearthly and beautiful is their sound.
In what feels like no time at all you are brought to the EP’s chilled closing track, The Cell where the chorus laps at your brain like a warm ocean and draws to an end by fading out to a few last words sung a capella, a ship sailing off into the distance. It’s my least favourite of the three but with such strong tracks they can’t all win, or maybe I’m just bitter because the EP came into my life so suddenly and finished so fast leaving me desperately wanting more. This is apparently where they got the title for the EP, the word Rushes is the name given to the first print of an unedited film reel and reflects the band’s apparent wish to bring out shorter but more frequent works. Either way you would really be missing out if you don’t check out this band as soon as you can!
Rushes by Talk In Colour is out now on Night Cabin Records and there is an accompanying music video to the opening track Rolling on Youtube. So what are you waiting for my winged monkeys? go and treat yourself to a listen to this blissful offering and I am confident you will have a new soundtrack to your summer.
[Rating:3.5]
By The Wicked Venetian
