Review: The Ladder – 'Charade'

THE LADDER 
'Charade' 
SELF-RELEASED 

After six years in the waiting Addz Milner, the man who has helped acts like Surgyn and Grendel on tour, has released his début EP under his project 'The Ladder'. Starting in 2006, the band have always been in the background, absorbing the influences from Sheffield's' industrial scene. The last year has seen them build the hype for their first ever release, known as 'The Charade'.

It's opener 'Requital' and it's follow up 'The Charade' don't make for a good start. They are both clunky, and very forgettable. Both seem a little rushed and have too many influences injected into them. What follows, however, is a different kettle of fish. 'Enabler' is by far the stand out track of the release, with a stunning layout and a very catchy chorus, it gives you hope that there is a future in futurepop. 'Clockwork' opens like an old PC game (much like 'Unreal') with a euphoric intro and then punches in with a running verse. Both would suit very well in a club, but of course Addz knows this.

The two remixes (of which happen to be of the first two songs off the EP) make a good companion to the release. It seems these redux's re-construct 'Requital' and 'The Charade' very well, making them a lot easier to listen to. Monomorte's remix of 'The Charade' is a very dark version of the song, with dubstep connotations and a deep style of vocal you could hang a tie off of!

In all this isn't a bad début. They haven't relied on using their contacts to make something that is only good because it has a bigger artist attached to it (that being said, lets hope they may use said contacts for something special in the future). The remixes far surpass the originals, but there is a good mixed bag to dip your ear into. This band can only get better from here.

Posted in: music,the charade,the ladder