poppedmusic

Diagrams EP

Released 11th July

This is a real gem of an EP and I’m so glad that it found its way into my Inbox. There’s a real eclectic collection of sounds to be found here, everything from electronics, a wide variety and all manners of percussion, brass and even rain. From the very moment that opening track Night All Night starts I was instantly pulled straight into it. There’s such a beautiful and enchanting quality to the tone of the vocal and such an interesting way to start the song. The tone of vocal wraps itself around you and snuggles in against your chest making you feel quite warm and cosy. It really is lovely. The track progresses really well; it starts out with a building of vocals and clicks and introduces the main vocal over the top of it, before introducing more and more layers of music and sounds over the top.

In terms of progression on the EP there’s a real mix of styles and sounds here too. Second track Antelope, reminds me a little of something you might have expect to hear on a Super Furry Animals album. This track picks up the pace of the EP but still keeps its warmth in tone and such a fantastic mixture of instruments that build and stomp and swirl. It’s almost a shame the track ends, and ends so abruptly at that. What follows it is almost unexpected, a total funk out is what you get from The Hill. What’s great about this track is the little introduction of electronic bleeps that should sound totally out of place but some how don’t. The funk turns into a fierce march from brass and drums thumping their beat throughout.

Working, the penultimate track of the EP is the most stark in terms of sounds, it’s not as full bodied or rounded, yet somehow the EP needs it to be like this, almost a case of less is more when you’ve already had so much in terms of texture. It also lends itself superbly to help set up the final track, Icebreakers. From the start it sounds like it’s going to be your usual singer songwriter kind of affair; stunning strings and harmonies. But listen carefully and you’ll hear real interest in the details, from the beautifully crafted lyrical content (my favourite on the EP), an additional female harmony, and sounds of wind and rain. The wind and rain element, although beautiful during the track, does become somewhat almost over used. With over 5 minutes of the sound rain beating down at the end of the track it’s an interesting idea and quite therapeutic to listen to but it really makes you need the toilet! Not one to listen to just before bed time. Overall this really is a fantastic EP, bringing an intelligent use of production, vocals and styles to build a truly engaging collection of songs that still keep pop music at their very heart.

Listen and download Antelope for free below.