Dark Bells
Want
October 21 2013 (RIP Records)
8/10
Words: Dave Beech
Like their name suggests, there's a distinct melancholic beauty that surrounds Aussie trio Dark Bells. Building on a variety of aesthetics, the band's blend of psych and shoegaze has already earned the favour of the likes of Line of Best Fit or The Quietus and now, with their second single 'Want', Dark Bells look set to make a whole new host of people fall in love with them.
From the the first shrill opening notes of 'Want', it's clear that this is a band that drips with confidence. From singer Teneil Throssel's perpetuated hook line to the rolling bass of the song's understated breakdown, there isn't a single aspect of the track that seems half-hearted. Even the delicate vocal intricacies of the verses make up in conviction what they lack in volume. It's an usual composition, flitting between a vast sonic soundscape and ethereal nuances with relative ease, all the while the upholding an ever-present sense of movement within the track. It's somewhat progressive, though without ever sounding pretentious, and it rattles it's way towards it's conclusion brilliantly.
Given the two genres that 'Want' is built from, it's safe to say that it's a fairly timeless track. Feeling somewhat nostalgic, but also completely fresh. It's unusual for such a merger of genres to work well, but work well it does, resulting in a record that bounces from rich and vibrant to sparse and skeletal, before coming full circle once more. It's dark, with an underpinning edge of beauty surrounding it, but most importantly, it's a track that will undoubtedly earn them more fans ahead of next year's debut album.
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