HAELOS

And we finish where we started - that all encompassing and admittedly lazy electro-pop tag which applies to the likes of Haelos, a well-intentioned London trio that cites Massive Attack and Portishead as inspirations. I'd add Lamb and Jungle to that list judging by the Gorecki-like strings and old ravers' drumbeats on the lead track which is chilled-out solemnity encapsulated. A little livelier is Cloud Nine which takes its metronomic beat through a soundscape of harmonies and tethered gloom. Ethyr is perhaps the highlight, sounding like the kind of cinematic parlance you might associate with a slow-mo trailer for a particularly downbeat TV cop drama filmed entirely in black and white - it's basically a heavily stringed version of Earth Not Above.

This review also appeared also on Flipside Reviews.

Paul PLEDGER
26/06/2015