The Golden Filter : 'Voluspa'
Released: Out Now!
Label: Brille Records
Summer arrives, and with it comes the much anticipated debut full length (on UK label Brille Records, its named after the ancient Nordic poem Völuspá which relates the story of the creation of the world and its coming end) from the rather magnificent, The Golden Filter. With a slew of wonderful remixes floating around in the ether of the internet alongside a few originals which do their name no harm either and off the back of the single, “Hide Me”, this is one of those records that the all those in the know have been waiting for. The question is, will it live up to the blissful expectations of every disco fanatic or leave us with a selection of beautiful singles sandwiched with filler?
Well, no disappointments at the opening as huge strings leap out while a beat slowly builds around them surrounded by ethereal vocals from Penelope Trappes. Then the guitar and bass kick off and the record is very much go. Big builds and the searing lead line takes us straight into the aforementioned single, “Hide Me”, which is all Trappes stand out voice, loops and rhythms that never tire and luscious, deep sythns that draw you into their sea of disco. It is also worth noting that the Rory Phillips mix of “Hide Me” is rather special too. Look it up. “Look me In The Eye” opens with a nice bubbly little piece of percussion and looped rhythm supporting the vocal, before a brief tease of a synth line which drops fully shortly after in a sea of layers which provide leads and depth, then drop away into a verse and breakdown with big, handclapped percussion.
“Moonlight Fantasy” is a slow song built around a deep disco groove with some meaty percussion leading into a breakdown jam with the bass and synth while the lead strings get busy over the top. Track five brings the first ever single from this New York Duo. All dreamy synths which shimmer around the lyrics before falling into hook laden disco leads lines and you can immediately see how this band have become such a success story in so little time! “The Underdogs” slows the game down somewhat again with a slightly mashed up intro, dropping electronics, drums, vocals and instruments at seemingly random moments before, suddenly, the bass and drums roll out of it into a beautiful slow groove, and seem to immediately make sense of that which seemed somewhat random mere seconds before. Here we have four and a half minutes of deep and groove laden disco and probably one of the standout moments of the record. Quite simply, a stunning track.
“Stardust” is an aptly named piece with a backdrop that shimmers and sparkles with all the vigour of its namesake and a simple yet hooky vocal which drops away into a deeper synth lead, rising into stabbing strings while the almost tribal drums crescendo into an incredible bass line and more deep and electronic leads. “Frejya’s Ghost” is a more upbeat number with some nice chord progressions, a summery yet faintly melancholic lead line, which blends nicely into the bass. “Kiss Her Goodbye” is nought more than short (1:39) stopgap before the final stage of the album.
Beginning the close of the record is the simply lovely opening of “Nerida’s Gone” with mournful vocals playing over gentle violins and quiet pianos. A subtle beat, almost like that of a heart, warily appears, briefly taking centre stage before the violins take back the focus as they soar and drift off to close the song. Then, taking us out, is the track that really made people sit up and take notice of this duo, “Thunderbird". The soaring chorus of this is, in itself, reason enough to buy this album, the quirky synth fills, loopy disco basslines and general summery goodness all help too.
Not perhaps the album I was expecting, as there is not a huge amount of variation and some tracks can blend into one another far too easily if close attention is not paid. However, I would have to confess to this being a minor quibble as, on close inspection this is a wonderful debut with some brilliant songs, peaking on the mid-album beauty of “The Underdogs”.
Words: James Hoste
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Reply #2 on : Thu July 14, 2011, 18:20:38
Posts: 3
Reply #1 on : Thu July 14, 2011, 14:46:45
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Reply #3 on : Wed July 20, 2011, 12:50:47