Brooklyn dreampop duo The Blessed Isles didn't rush things putting together their debut album Straining Hard Against the Strength of Night. Aaron Closson (guitar, vocals, keys) and Nolan Thies (guitar, vocals, keys, bass) recorded bits and pieces over a five-year period, and ended up with a batch of songs that lean heavily the Eighties, with Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark as the most obvious influence.
Trying to make electronic music sound warm is always a challenge and most bands rely on the vocals for the "human" element. The Blessed Isles followed that blueprint, but they put the guitars more upfront in the mix as well. That won't win over indie rock lovers overnight, but the duo's sense for melody might lure them in the long run.
Straining Hard Against the Strength of Night is released on Saint Marie Records (vinyl, CD, digital).
Tracks:- Caroline
- Like I Am Dreaming
- Round And Round
- Confession
- Give
- Chase Away The Sun
- Touch
- Winter Moon
- Proxy
