Subside E.P.

Reviewed By Mark @ Losing Today.com

Damn this is gorgeous; I’d almost forgotten what it was like to fall head over heels in love with a record. Now its not often that you get a CD that simply forces you to stand in awe muttering wooaa, but then not many records are like this debut outing from Halflight. Halflight are a Cardiff based quartet who were recently voted the best new band in Wales after topping the A&R panels in the 200 band competition Shout Out. Led by singer songwriter Sarah Howells who in a previous life was a member of Jylt who signed to UglyMan Records the label responsible for putting out the exceptional ‘To You’ by I am Kloot, released one single ‘Surrender’ and then disappeared off the radar. Now refreshed and back with a vengeance, this dainty four track EP houses some of the most crushing moments we’ve had oozing their way from our hi-fi’s speakers in such a long time. References to Tanya Donelly and Kirsten Hersh are not offered lightly, neither are the subtle pointers to the Delgados and Sweeder’s ‘Swallowed by the Sun’ debut (especially on the up tempo opener ‘where the pins drop’) as Halflight teeter that fine line between beauty and cruelty. Like 'Singled Out' favourites Anna Kashfi, Halflight have in their ranks a vocalist in Howells whose softening tones hold a lifetime of scars and bruises borne out of regret and loss that far exceed her youth. Complimented by a lone acoustic guitar, a cello and the gentle trace of drums don’t for one second be fooled into thinking that sparse means empty, again like Anna Kashfi, Halflight are adept at creating an exquisite line in melody that’s deep in emotion and rich in vibrancy. Tales of regret and deep introspection pave the way here, harrowingly intimate and so explicit you can almost touch the wounds, the crushing ‘Treading Water’ must surely rank as one of the most haunting and openly candid compositions ever committed to tape, enchanting and hurt it kisses gently to leave an everlasting bruise ensuring its fading glimmer is locked away in a secret dark place forever in your psyche. The elegant strings within ‘Sixfour’ exude a delicate spellbinding ghostly texture that would not be found wanting or out of place where it sat on Kate Bush’s ‘The Kick Inside’ while the sorrowfully parting ‘Photos’ is racked with the kind of resigned fate of helplessness as to make you either seethe with anger wanting to know who the culprit responsible for the pain is so you can have a gentle word, or else have you crying bucket loads from now until Christmas. And with that the esteemed Joint 'Single of the Missive', nuff said.

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