My Nguyen
Sea Fever’s debut album ‘Folding Lines’ is a Smorgasbord of Dark Electronica Mixed in with Rock and ‘80s Dance Music
Sea Fever, a five-piece collective from Manchester, UK, are co-fronted by Iwan Gronow (Haven, Johnny Marr) on vocals and guitars and Bethany Cassidy (Section 25). The collective also features New Order’s Tom Chapman and Phil Cunningham – with Chapman on bass, guitars, synths and programming and Cunningham on guitars. Rounding out the lineup is Elliot Barlow, who powers the band’s pulsating beats and New Order’s drummer Stephen Morris.
The band says their formation was inevitable: “We’d wanted to work with each other for ages, so when we finally sat down in the studio, the band just seemed to come together naturally. It felt like we were really free to explore the kinds of music that have always inspired us, we dug right through the record crates of our minds to shape the sound of Sea Fever.”
The result of their coming together is Folding Lines, a debut ten-track album that fuses each of the member’s inspirations, backgrounds and experiences. Blending electronica with a rock-based sound, Folding Lines showcase Sea Fever’s unrelenting rock style that at moments recalled a Prodigy and Chemical Brothers’ vibe.
Folding Lines begins with “Crossed Wires,” where clanging guitars and electronic riffs sound out for a noise-fest of glitchy rock n’ roll. The combined vocals of Gronow and Cassidy give off a very industrial flair at first. The sound of strings add a lush orchestral element to the band’s sound. Moody piano opens up “Under Duress.” The cascading keys provide a provoking feel, while the beats and synths add to the radioactive atmospheres. As Gronow repeats the phrase “under duress,” Cassidy’s ghostly vocals unwind for an eerie vibe. The sound of strings reel in a very dramatic and dynamic sound. Beats that grow in volume, thrust the band into hard-hitting territory on “Afterthought,” and the music has an ‘80s vibe to it as arena-like guitars sound out. Gronow’s vocals also display a new wave flavor that is very reminiscent of The Smiths and The Cure.
Strings give off a lush and appealing sound to open “Built To Last,” while the band’s driven electronic-rock sound creates a compelling feel. The dance-worthy track had me bobbing around in my seat to the sauntering grooves as I listened. The addition of a cello gives off a dynamic undertow to this piece. In the title track, “Folding Lines,” eerie guitars reel in a ghostly sound as alien-like synths send out other-worldly signals. The music shifts into a slow burn as Cassidy and Gronow’s vocals interweave into a dynamic duet. The blend of electronica and rock delivers a mesmerizing backdrop of sound, while the lush strings, along with Cassidy and Gronow’s vocals, made for a truly captivating accompaniment. I felt myself getting locked into the magnetic orchestrations. The music rushes in from the start of “Satellite.” With happening percussive beats, this felt like a direct ode to spaghetti westerns, and it sounded like something that could come from a Tarantino film. The strings added an epic approach to this sprawling release.
On “Le Coup,” glitchy electronic riffs provide a very robotic sound. As synths and beats kick in, there is a racing EDM feel to the vibes. Once Cassidy’s vulnerable vocals begin, you can feel the trance and dance-like music giving her vocals a rush of pop-based sounds. I greatly enjoyed the club elements of this track. The music slowly builds on “The Finder” and the sound of strings adds a touch of atmosphere to the track. The mixture of synthetic with acoustic instrumentation made for a memorable sound. Synths and strings offer up an ambient sound on “Programme Your Life.” In the background, the sounds of an announcement arrive. Right away, the guitars and drums draw you in for an out-of-this-world sound. The ethereal waves of music gather and make way for Gronow’s new wave-esque vocals. The album closes on this dazzling sonic display as the band bids goodbye with this reverberating closer.
Sea Fever intersects an electronic-based sound with rock and orchestral embellishments to give a unique sound. The glitchy electronic riffs are an ongoing undercurrent in these tracks. Paired with Gronow and Cassidy’s combined vocal harmonies, you get some edgy and gritty outtakes that recall the metal and industrial genres. The members of Sea Fever have released something very dark and futuristic worth exploring from start to finish. Folding Lines shows a band who knows exactly what kind of sound they are going for and goes at it full-throttle, with no holding back or any kind of restraint. They know their sound and they hammer at it with all they’ve got.
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