URBAN MYTH CLUB – HELIUM
December 1st, 2005 by rui
I didn’t manage to hear Urban Myth Club’s performance at Eastnor this year. You know how it is – things to do, people to see, music to listen to.
But one of my defining memories of the festival is the sound of the hypnotic opening chords of ‘So Beautiful’ drifting across the site, everywhere from the Chill stage to the bars and stalls, accompanied by groups of punters asking each other ‘What’s this tune? Gorgeous isn’t it?’
Played as his summer set opener by Pete Lawrence, it’s a classic electronic ballad in the tradition of Lamb’s ‘Gorecki’ or Static’s ‘Inside your Heaven’, a rich five and a half minute slice of emotion topped off by Rowan Godel’s touching vocal.
‘Helium’ is Urban Myth Club’s first full-length album and, as well as ‘So Beautiful’, it includes all four tracks from ‘The Secret EP’ that created something of a buzz around these parts earlier in the year.
Writers and producers Ian Sanderson and Mark Desvaux use electric pianos, strings and warm analog synths as the main colours in their palette of sound, which comes to rest somewhere between the polished coffee table chill of Air and Zero 7 and the mellow drama of Ilya or early Goldfrapp.
As you’d expect, ‘So Beautiful’ is the standout track here but the cinematic opener ‘Schnorkle,’ ‘Moon and the night’ with its haunting clarinet, and the powerful ‘Sanctuary’, featuring another exceptional vocal performance from Ms Godel, run it pretty close.
If you’re in search of innovation or the cutting edge, you’ll be looking in the wrong place on ‘Helium’. But Urban Myth Club make music that drifts softly and draws you in slowly, and with DJs ranging from Adam Freeland to the venerable whispering Bob Harris already lending their support with airplay and rave reviews, the chances are you’ll be hearing a lot more of them in 2006.
The Only M
