A three-piece hailing from Brighton, HEATH specialise in indie anthems that have a touch of 80s darkness. Having released their debut EP ‘February’ via Kiling Moon earlier this year, things are already looking positive and there should be a bright future ahead…
‘Give Me Over’ effortlessly combines Maccabees-style vocals and anthemics with electronica that Dave Gahan would be proud of. With highly expressive delivery of the words ‘I can hold out’, ‘Can we move on please?’ and ‘Can we make out I never ever knew you?’, passions soon run even higher as the song raises the emotional stakes and becomes a devastating analysis of a break-up. The band then further showcases their talents and adaptability with a climax that sounds akin to alt-J if they weren’t so lifeless…
A combination of acoustic strums and thumping bass open the beginning of ‘Hope So High’. As it goes along, the upbeat nature of the instrumentation is screaming out for some handclaps although the sombre lyrics hint otherwise: ‘Should I be here?’ A subtly optimistic song with a rousing Fanfarlo-style finish, there’s also the repeated mantra of ‘Go on, go on’ to give extra impetus. ‘Dartmoor’ is another song that has dark subject matter – from walking away to losing the light and being freezing, it shows there’s a real sensitive side to HEATH’s pop sensibilities. Atmospheric and providing similar vibes to our recent reviewee Salvation Bill, the band hint at having lost hope or perhaps having a dark past with their lyrics: ‘I used to be bold like you for a while’ and the clattering drum-lead climax marks them as experts in that dark folk sound we like so much.
There’s also an electronic feel on ‘Speak Out’, a song that has moments that recall a more accessible East India Youth or Patrick Wolf. With broken beats, sumptuous vocal melodies singing ‘Speak out, speak out’ and an ever-evolving progression, it’s HEATH at their most exhilarating. We can’t wait to hear more!
Filed under: EP review, New music, Preview Tagged: alternative music, Brighton, Give Me Over, HEATH, indie music, Killing Moon, new band, new music, new music review, pop music