James Arden checks out the garage rockers latest album.
The Christian rock band from Brighton bring religion to the masses.
Recipe for modern R'n'B album: liberal helpings of guest rappers and an overdose of sexual euphemisms.
Hidden Orchestra is a rare thing. A band that’s brave enough to bring classical and jazz influences to the mainstream, with fearless energy and originality. Confining their style to a particular genre is almost impossible – they are close to Zero 7 but at the same time not too far from Radiohead. Suffice to say, Hidden Orchestra’s debut album, Night Walks, has rapidly become one of my favourite releases of the year.
The album opens with ‘Antiphon’, a track that’s slow to start but grabs your attention within moments with an unexpected piano melody that sets the tone for the whole record. Enter strings, drums, and a bass line and the song moves to an exciting climax by which time you will have already been enthralled by Hidden Orchestra’s captivating tone.
Moving on through the album, track three, ‘Dust’, again expertly mixes jazz influences with electro aspects to create a stunning seven-minute song that puts Hidden Orchestra’s two live drummers at the forefront. The soprano sax provides an enticing melody and the strings showcase the fresh electro rhythms that that make this band such a progressive and forward-thinking entity.
Track four, ‘Tired and Awake’, is a somewhat darker track that captures exactly the feeling of being tired and awake. ‘The Windfall’ displays more of this expert musicianship, with a strong brass section and mesmerizing drum beats. ‘Out of Nowhere’ changes the tone slightly. With high strings, this is a track that reflects feelings of fear and panic at the nightmare that comes... out of nowhere. ‘Wandering’ brings back the contemporary feel with voice samples and a compelling bass line. ‘Strange’ moves the album on with softer tones that are almost hypnotic. The final track, ‘Undergrowth’, returns to Hidden Orchestra’s classic unpredictable sound with unexpected embellishments that completes a truly astonishing album.
I haven’t been this excited about an album for a long long time. It is endlessly surprising and enigmatic, and displays expert musicianship combining contemporary beats with classical influences producing cinematic soundscapes that never fail to impress. On a musical stratum of their own creation, this is an exceptional album from an extraordinary new band.
Like it? Try Tindersticks.
Night Walks - Out now - ★★★★★
You must log in to submit a comment.
