Warpaint have been quiet since bursting onto the scene in 2010 with The Fool, a rush of noisy, atmospheric rock that deservedly nabbed a lot of favourable looks. The ensuing years consisted of touring, festivals and starting to jam and write with the lineup that included then-new drummer Stella Mogzawa. Finally, the result, a stripped-down and sinuously groovy collection produced and mixed by industry veteran Flood, is ready for consumption.
It kicks off with a couple of agitated sparks, including lead single "Love is to Die," that recall the coiled percussive energy of vintage Police or Massive Attack. Afterwards, the album settles into a slower gear, preferring to clip along chambered in odd-angled keyboard architecture and swirling sheathes of guitar. This discovery of quiet allows room for all the instruments to speak clearly, together and in turn, with plenty of space for Emily Kokal's siren vocal and multi-harmonic support from the rest of the band.
The power of this minimalist approach shines on tracks like "Drive," which ignites after a slow build. Other pieces, conversely, arrive in small elegant packages and leave without ever unwrapping, but overall it's the atmosphere that haunts the album that will stick with you, assuredly.
Read a new interview with Warpaint's Theresa Wayman by clicking here.
(Rough Trade)It kicks off with a couple of agitated sparks, including lead single "Love is to Die," that recall the coiled percussive energy of vintage Police or Massive Attack. Afterwards, the album settles into a slower gear, preferring to clip along chambered in odd-angled keyboard architecture and swirling sheathes of guitar. This discovery of quiet allows room for all the instruments to speak clearly, together and in turn, with plenty of space for Emily Kokal's siren vocal and multi-harmonic support from the rest of the band.
The power of this minimalist approach shines on tracks like "Drive," which ignites after a slow build. Other pieces, conversely, arrive in small elegant packages and leave without ever unwrapping, but overall it's the atmosphere that haunts the album that will stick with you, assuredly.
Read a new interview with Warpaint's Theresa Wayman by clicking here.