North East Music

That Clare Weaves a Tapestry of Sound with Her Powerful New Single ‘Consciousness’ – SINGLE REVIEW

13th Jun 2024 — Leave a comment

The latest single from That Clare is a gorgeous tapestry of sound and positivity, confronting toxic attitudes while delving into the personal and emotive issues that have shaped her.

The trans singer-songwriter combines a number of different influences on the track to amazing effect, boldly confronting toxic influences within her deeply personal lyrics.

That Clare In Concert – Photo by Andi Christ – @andichrist19

The track begins with a beautifully worked synth, reminiscent of the work of artists such as Mitski. The synth bed sets a dreamy vibe of the track, further enhanced by a lovely arpeggio guitar line building on the instrumentation. Combined, the instrumentation echoes of post-nineties Radiohead with its atmospheric tone.

The musical landscape of the first half of the track is stark and ominous, reflecting the lyrics which reference feeling lost.

The production by Lisa Murphy does an excellent job of building the atmosphere and growing the momentum of the track.

This momentum pays off around the halfway point of the track, where the song goes up a gear, upping the tempo and bringing a fullness to the instrumentation that matches the defiant nature of the lyrics.

Self love is very much the message from this point on, with That Clare shutting the door on negative influence and embracing herself. “You can do it without them” is the overriding message and acts as a powerful, empowering declaration.

Consciousness does an excellent job of weaving a number of diverse influences together to create something unique and personal. The defiant message of the song will resonate with many and illustrates the Teesside singer’s bold voice, which is endlessly captivating.

Social Youth Cult Bring Dark and Gothic Vibes with Debut EP, Memento Vivere – EP REVIEW

11th Jun 2024 — Leave a comment

Memento Vivere sees Social Youth Cult set out their stall with 14 minutes of distorted gothic post punk.

Across five tracks, the group impresses with tight and well-thought-out songs, which have allowed them to build their name within the North East music scene. Opener Temporary Love sets the scene nicely, highlighting vocalist Shaun Greer’s baritone vocals, which combine nicely with the chorus laden guitar lines. By the time the song hits the chorus, Greer’s vocals hit full croon over a bed of beautifully distorted guitars.

The amazing resonant vocal style is something that continues across the EP, with Greer’s vocals, sounding like a twisted mix of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis and Morrissey (without the problematic connotations). This helps immediately set the dark and moody tone of the record.

You Do It To You has an almost wall-of-sound approach at times with guitars, drums, and bass forming a dark, ominous wall in the chorus. Leaving no decibel untouched, the track shows the band’s diversity and ability to set various different atmospheres with their instrumentation. The guitar solo on the track had echos of Joy Division with its starkness within the mix.

This gives way to Moonlight’s driving bass and guitar lines with verses that feel inspired by groups such as The Killing Joke. The track also features a gorgeous guitar solo illustrating the playing abilities of guitarist Holly Moore and adding a beautiful touch to Moonlight.

The opening of Hollow sees the guitar crash in over the bass line like a wave against a pier upping the energy of the EP. As the chorus hits, Greer bellows, “hollow me vacant you,” continuing the melachonic, heavy tone of the song.

Gone With The Beast concludes the EP by reflecting upon toxic masculinity. Greer’s vocals are almost chant-like in the chorus and continue to gain intensity as the track continues, bringing the EP to a passionate conclusion.

Overall, this debut EP from Social Youth Cult shows promising signs for the future, giving the listener all they could possibly want from a goth group with some excellent post-punk tinged tracks. It is clear why the group is gaining attention in the North East music scene and are very much ones to watch as they continue their musical journey.

Let The Spy From Balzan Take You On A Dreamy Sonic Journey With Their Debut LP – ALBUM REVIEW

7th Jun 2024 — Leave a comment

The debut LP from The Spy From Balzan sees the musical project finally complete its first chapter to wonderful effect.

Combining the dreamy and reverb-heavy production that has blessed their previous singles, The Spy From Balzan features seven excellent tracks influenced by various genres and moods.

Opener “This Way Up” begins with a Spanish-esque guitar opening that runs through the track like a scenic river through a gorgeous valley. These then collide into a trap-style beat, which opens up the track, allowing the vocals to take centre stage.

This is followed by the single “Without Warning” which I have previously reviewed (you can read here). In the context of the album, the track is only strengthened, adding to the LP’s sonic palette.

Next is “Cheese Dreams” which opens with a dreamy guitar line washed in reverb. The track allows you to sink into its production, especially when it reaches its chorus, which drags you further into its sonic landscape. The instrumental on the track shimmers and also features a lovely guitar solo that cuts through the dreamlike atmosphere to excellent effect.

“Guillotine” features a melodic chorus that adds a different element to the LP, with verses laden with guitar solos and intricate synth beds. This continues to build upon the consistent instrumentation and production that weaves the album together into its own unique world.

“Imagine That” adds to the sunny atmosphere. Opening with a catchy guitar line, the song revolves around this line, bringing a catchy indie vibe. The vocals reminded me a lot of The Voidz with their heavily autotuned and trippy effect, bringing that extra layer to the track.

This leads to the LP’s magnum opus, “Northern Rail,” which sounds like The Drums run through a psychedelic filter. The effect is excellent, showcasing the range of different influences injected into this project. The indie pop sensibilities are clear to see, with a gorgeous upbeat and catchy chorus, which I adored.

The LP ends with “Only Been Me” featuring Slobo, the track gently winds down the album with an RnB-influenced finale and gorgeous synth bass work. The chilled production naturally concludes the sonic journey which the LP takes you on.

Overall, The Spy From Balan has merged various influences together to excellent effect, producing a cohesive album with a thoughtfully curated sonic palette that takes the listener on a journey through its luscious instrumentation and personal lyrics.