EP Review | Blossomer Mesmerise with HLLW
UK band Blossomer have released their brand-new extended-play HLLW, which was released via Instant Karma on January 11, 2019.
The EP opens with the title track ‘HLLW’. The song is majestic and soaring, with the effortlessly gentle tone of lead singer Alex McKay’s vocal, alongside the instrumental, adding extra flavour once the electronic beats kick in. It’s clear Blossomer were heavily influenced by abrasive stuff like Massive Attack.
‘Preacher_Learner’ is an undeniably mesmerising track, showcasing irresistible soundscapes, which flow beautifully throughout. It discusses some of McKay’s earlier inspiration and the recurring themes throughout their music, such as religion. There’s a deeper feeling on this track compared to the previous one, and an expectation of what’s to come.
Lead singer Alex comments, “As religion has always been one of my common themes to sing about, this was based around the idea of striving to believe in something that isn’t quite there. A preacher teaching his pupil of something that doesn’t necessarily exist. I find it bizarre but it intrigues me.”
‘A_Shallow_Sea’ has effortless and intoxicating harmonies that drag the listener in from the moment the song begins. The flourishing instrumentation of synths, blended with the electronic dream-pop sound, adds wonderful soundscapes to the atmosphere. This track is almost a continuation of their previous work, ‘To The Sea’.
Alex comments, “’A_SHALLOW_SEA’ is sort of a continuation of the first track we ever released titled ‘To The Sea’. I have always had a tendency to write about the sea and nautical ‘stuff’, so this just felt like certain themes continued. It was stripped back much more than other tracks on the EP and this is sort of reminiscent of the Blossomer of old, because we’ve always been a fan of space in our music. Maybe no sound is better than sound sometimes…”
‘Time_Slips_Away’ follows an entertaining beat with electronic instrumentation. It’s a moving track that allows further growth as the EP progresses.
‘I_REMEMBER’ closes the EP with a masterful piece of electronics. As the track brings the story of the collection to an end, the overall body of work showcases an enchanting and incredibly thought-provoking act from the band.
Throughout the EP, it’s hard to relate this band to someone else as a reference point. They have an interesting vibe. Something like a local music scene with fun involved, incorporating musical styles like hip hop and trip hop. Each track demonstrates their ever growing confidence, both vocally and production wise. Alex’s spellbinding vocal as he sang in a piercing falsetto was a moment where he was able to transport the listener into another dimension with his achievable, easeful craft.
If you’re a fan of Wild Beasts, Beach Fossils, and Metronomy, this EP is for you.
It’s clear that the process of writing, making, and now releasing this project was a therapeutic one for the band.
