The Speed Of Sound In Seawater, Red Version EP
Posted on 30th Aug 10 by Jonathan Keane | 
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….it’s a sound that owes just as much in parts to King Crimson as it does to Bloc Party. Bet you never thought you’d hear those two bands mentioned together…..
There’s a gentle tranquillity to The Speed Of Sound In Seawater’s serene, swirling trade offs of clean guitars and vocals. It’s a sound that owes just as much in parts to King Crimson as it does to Bloc Party. Bet you never thought you’d hear those two bands mentioned together? But there is that level of vibrancy cavorting about Red Version. It’s bubbly yet very much focussed.
The Speed Of Sound In Seawater, Red Version EP
Red Version maintains, more or less the same mood throughout, a few spanners here and there aside, however it never once becomes tedious or routine. Its brevity may very well be its strength. But despite that there is certainly no shortage of ideas sparkling around in this melting pot. For the most part the arrangements are far from simple, throwing in tads of complexity in an ever tasteful manner. Romanticore and Girl Power, Immortalized lay testament to these ideas in abundance.
The vocals are pleasingly aerated and at times hypnotic, building on the chill out vibe that’s being constantly heartened. The occasional yelp and shriek makes its way in, like that on the giddily and ludicrously titled Dinner And A Movie On A Post-Apocalyptic Earth- 12 Bottle Caps, Successfully Repopulating The Human Race- Priceless. Yeah…
But we digress from humorous elongated song names, by the sixth and final track The Speed Of Sound In Seawater’s mission statement (if you will) is vividly and beautifully clear. The Coldest Room In The House is the longest number, presenting more and more of those lush, gorgeous melodies and is completed by a soothing instrumental mid section and the eventual close of exciting gang vocals.
Red Version is a sterling effort from a band that are, in fact, nowhere near their perfect stride yet. There’s much potential here to be expanded on for a full length release which could…. and frankly, should yield more than a few gems. The glint of greatness is there.
Drop-d Rating: 8/10
The EP is available here.
The Speed Of Sound In Seawater Myspace
Tags: bloc party, King Crimson, Red Version, The Speed Of Sound In Seawater