'Solitude'
KOSHEEN / MEMBRAN RECORDS
KOSHEEN / MEMBRAN RECORDS
Chart
flirting dance-rock outfit Kosheen are back with the follow up to
last year's upbeat and unshackled 'Independence'. This time the band
veer back into darker and more atmospheric waters with 'Solitude'.
The trio's minimalistic techno and trip-hop influences take centre
stage once more for a satisfyingly melancholic journey.
The
album blends the experimentalism of How To Destroy Angels, the
mournful atmospherics of Portishead and the sheer appeal of Massive
Attack. Tracks such as 'Save Your Tears', 'Harder They Fall',
'Observation' and 'Up in Flames' provide the album with its more
danceable numbers making good use of catchy synth melodies and steady
beats. While the likes of 'And Another', 'I' and 'Solitude' bring the
more experimental edge as they utilise more unrestrained but equally
dark song structures underpinned by that prevailing trip-hop edge.
The
use of harsher elements and flirtations with dubstep meld nicely with
the overall sombre yet psychedelic atmosphere of the album and bring
it all into almost post-industrial territory. But this does feel a
lot more like an album for introverted and relaxed listening despite
the club cuts in the track list. The haunting vocals are at times low
in the mix, interacting with the synths like another layer of
instrumentation. The up shot of this is that you never quite know
what to expect with every track. But in terms of the execution, it is
always flawless.
'Solitude'
is a great album. It is lively enough to continue to keep one foot in
the mainstream. But like bands such as Portishead, or even more rock
orientated groups like Editors, it has the pronounced dark edge that
allows for underground appeal as well. This should further validate
Kosheen's new found independent status away from major label backing.