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Review: 'PROMISE AND THE MONSTER'
'Feed The Fire'   

-  Label: 'Bella Union Records'
-  Genre: 'Indie' -  Release Date: '22nd January 2016'

Our Rating:
Billie Lindahl apparently took her band's pseudonym from the title of a children's picture book which, in the tradition of all the best fables, conjures up an image of innocence threatened by its hidden reverse

Similarly, this album's title can be interpreted either positively or negatively since nurturing the flames of a fire can bring warmth and comfort or else could represent more destructive forces.

Such dichotomies link to the double-edged strands of song lyrics in which Lindahl consciously sets out to explore the "boundaries between dream and reality, sanity and insanity".

Frankly, you need a keen ear to discern these details since her words are often buried in the mix or drift away hazily. It's more likely that listeners would perceive the intended mood of tension through the multi-faceted musical arrangements.

For instance, you hear how creepy gothic layers have been deliberately added to the relatively simple structures of commercial pop. The album's keynote song, Time Of The Season, is not the Zombies hit but I feel sure that you'd find Colin Blunstone's song on the singer's personal playlist.

Traditional instrumentation like an erhu (a Chinese violin) and Mariachi horns blend surprisingly well with synths and strings to combine elements of 60s psychedelic pop with 80s post-punk.

Such diversity brings an edge of sweeping drama to tracks such as Slow And Quiet, Machines and Apartment Song yet also lends an air of grace and mystery to the wordless Julingvallan.

The album ends on a high note with Fine Horseman. This derives from a British folk song but takes the traditional source material into weird and wonderful new territories. "Strange thoughts running through my head" Lindahl intones as thrilling percussive effects build insistently.

Her voice is like a blend of Alison Goldfrapp and Siouxsie Sioux, floating dreamily one moment, soaring ominously the next. Backed by musicians more than capable of matching her mood swings, the album is far denser and darker than its more acoustic orientated predecessor, Transparent Knives, from 2007.

It is all the richer and accomplished too as the performers combine to create a sense of nightmarish visions lurking in the shadows of a musical dream world.



Promise And The Monster on Tumblr
  author: Martin Raybould

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PROMISE AND THE MONSTER - Feed The Fire