I'm a bit ashamed to admit it, but a lot of really great albums that were released last year managed to slip past me. One such album (EP technically) was "Service Bell", which was released last year by London-based 6 piece Years of Rice and Salt.
While YORAS is definitely a part of the post-rock genre, they delve deeper into other categories than most, and stand out from the masses as a result. Listen closely, and you'll hear light folk tinges (think Balmorhea, but heavier on the post-rock) and a touch of darker pop. Mesmerizing, reverbed vocals and stirring string sections counter-balance the normal post-rock sounds of the guitars, bass, and drums. The notes say the EP charts the catastrophe of a shipwreck, and I think that is great imagery for the sounds on the album.
"Plankton" opens the EP with a simple lush strum and quiet vocal melody, then leads itself to a music-box like arrangement. The guitar remains steady, as other instruments and voices come and go throughout the remainder of the track, lending the theme when necessary or just adding another layer the soundscape builds upon. Then the familiar post-rock crescendo kicks in and carries itself almost until the end.
"Splendid Isolation" is one track that stands out. It takes the traditional 'post-rock' sound and leads a meandering folk soundscape into a rush of celebratory rhythm. Then, almost as quickly as it came, it disappears back into lush, delay-filled guitar. The guitar leads you for a few moments until they reach the peak of the music mountain, bringing back the theme of the song and allowing almost a release of all the energy the track built up earlier. The band shows a great ability to correctly balance their different instrumental ingredients to create the prefect mix of sounds.
"(Rearranging)Deckchairs" is a track where the folk influence stands out almost from the very beginning. It has a slight Celtic tinge to it, which stands in perfect counterpoint to the heavier sounds behind it. The track eventually leads into an unexpected, upbeat breakdown. Once everything comes together, it is a beautifully executed bit of songwriting.
"Occasional Flashes of Warmth" starts as a much more straightforward track that reminds me of another UK band: Her Name is Calla. Towards the end the track repeats its rhythms and vocal melodies, but at an ever more frantic pace. Honestly, if I had one complaint with this song, it's that I wish instead of a simple fade out, they had brought the song to the edge of the frantic mountain they had built up and simply cut it off.
This is an incredibly strong debut EP from a band I expect big things out of in the future. Don't have the cash to buy it? Don't worry, the band has it available for free download here.
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