CHVRCHES, without a shadow of a doubt, are one of my absolute favourite music artists. I didn't expect much from the small-time three-piece from Scotland, but ended up blown away when I first heard 'Recover', and progressively every song in their debut album 'The Bones Of What You Believe'. An album which, in my opinion, is amazing. Some standout favourites of mine include 'Science/Visions', 'The Mother We Share', 'Lies' and deluxe edition exclusive 'Strong Hand'.
Their music is so unique, a wonderful combination which includes Lauren Mayberry's voice, which is completely comfortable alongside the synths and guitar and whatever other magical components Martin Doherty and Iain Cook put in to CHVRCHES' stunning array of musical creations. The instrumentals are undeniably fantastic, and Lauren's voice is so powerful, yet so calming and listenable. That said, she sounds formidable in 'Gun', as she says 'I will be a gun, and it's you I'll come for'.
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| Left to right - Martin Doherty, Lauren Mayberry, Iain Cook |
'The Bones Of What You Believe' was a big success, and I was just one of thousands of fans who went crazy for a band that were completely different from anything else around. It wasn't just an act of post-production miracles however, because I went to see CHVRCHES live and it was one of the best gigs I've been to. Lauren's interactions with the crowd were funny and you feel so close to her and the band on stage. This contrasts somewhat to the stunning bass that powers through your body and electrifies you as they perform one of their masterpieces. What impressed me the most is that every song, performed live, sounded just like the studio version; CHVRCHES have (a lot) of real talent, and I could watch them recreating their instrumentals in front of my very eyes.
Moving on to their future, now, and why it looks so bright and exciting. CHVRCHES recently released the first single from their new album, 'Every Open Eye', which is released 25th September. This comes two years since debut release 'The Bones Of What You Believe', and has a lot of fans excited. In a mini interview on Annie Mac, Radio One, when their new single was named the Hottest Record in the World, Lauren Mayberry said that they recorded the new album in a basement in Glasgow, as they did the first album, which to me shows a band that really care about the music they create, and are not prepared to release just anything. They've had two standalone tracks since their debut album, 'Get Away', made for Zane Lowe's 'Drive' score, and 'Dead Air', part of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay film soundtrack. They're both great, and in my opinion, bode extremely well for the band's upcoming music. The new song, 'Leave A Trace', is incredible and I love every aspect of it. Notably, Lauren's voice sounds, if even possible, better than it did in 'The Bones Of What You Believe', and seems to have become even more powerful and confident, and ventures to exciting places and notes that show she's developed as an artist over the last couple of years. It's also great to see that they haven't strayed from the music that made them popular; the electronic sound is still there, and better than ever. To me, this shows that they have stayed true to themselves and the music they love to make, and haven't changed their style for the sake of being mainstream as many artists fall victim to nowadays. They've simply adapted, tweaked, and more than anything improved on the already outstanding CHVRCHES style, and this is why I'm so overwhelmed with excitement for the trio and I'm certain they'll come back better and stronger and more amazing than ever before.
Luke
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| Here's CHVRCHES looking particularly badass. |
Luke
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| Album artwork for 'Every Open Eye' |
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| Artwork for 'Leave A Trace' single |
