Shake Your
Halo Down – Signals EP (Philophobia Music)
CD/DL
Out Now
Multi-layered
alternative pop artist Shake Your Halo Down release their second EP of
2014.
There seems
to be an element of mystique surrounding Shake Your Halo Down, which is
nice. The brainchild of main man Chris Charlton
from Wakefield seems to be one of the few things that a quick dabble of Google
will reveal. That’s good as the music is
given the chance to stand up on its own merits and it does.
The EP also
boasts guest appearances from Stewart Ramsay (Bad Owl), Chris Price (The
Unthanks), Kerry Ramsay (Laboratory Noise) and vocalist Olivia Cherry, but to
add more secrecy which tracks they are on is unclear!
There are
four distinct sounds across the quartet of tracks here. Opener, Stop Talking About The Weather has a
fierce pounding drum and the harmonies between male and female vocals are
perfect. A simple guitar solo breaks up
proceedings before the hook continues once again. It’s a highly infectious melody which could
well become your earworm for the day.
Sometimes I
Don’t Believe The Things You Say features a broad Scottish accent of spoken words
with an accompanying female vocalist (Cherry at a guess). Maybe a sweeping generalisation, but the main
vocal does remind of the Trainspotting opening sequence. It’s near ‘funky drummer’ beat is clean and
precise and the singing vocal, whilst sounding like it’s recorded in a shoe
box, adds a twist and a commercial hook.
A slightly
more experimental Undercover has an initial jazz/funk backbeat with the odd
hint of a Stone Roses rhythm guitar thrown in for good measure. The backing is sparse until three minutes
when a synth dance sound is introduced to liven things up once more. Again, male and female vocals merge to make a
really interesting track.
With closer
This House Is Mine there’s more than a passing resemblance to the mighty
Cabaret Voltaire circa their Code album where a frenetic dance sound combines
with single soundbytes and hushed vocals.
The speedy synth effect is interesting as it moves along with very
little percussion accompaniment.
Essentially a dance track, its seven minutes soon pass by with another
highly infectious descant.
8.5/10
8.5/10
Links
Philophobia Music
Shake Your Halo Down on Bandcamp
Shake Your Halo Down on Twitter
Cabaret Voltaire on hiapop Blog
Published on Louder Than War 15/08/14 - here
Shake Your Halo Down on Bandcamp
Shake Your Halo Down on Twitter
Cabaret Voltaire on hiapop Blog
Published on Louder Than War 15/08/14 - here
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