Still Corners

Slow Air

BY Matt YuyitungPublished Aug 14, 2018

7
Still Corners make the kind of music you can wrap yourself up in. Their brand of dream pop isn't necessarily groundbreaking; like M83 or Beach House, they make heavy use of distant melodies, tons of reverb and piles of synth pads. But on Slow Air, there is an increasing element of urgency to their music. Even at its most nocturnal and dreamy, they still want to command your full attention instead of floating innocuously around you.
 
Don't be mistaken, Still Corners are still clinging hard to their nocturnal, dreamlike tendencies. The aptly named opener "In The Middle of the Night" features plenty of the cooing harmonies singer Tessa Murray does so well, but there is a constant sense of forward motion and spontaneity. With less synth work on this record, Murray's voice is given a little more room to breathe, and it becomes an instrument on its own at times.
 
As well, their heavier use of guitars and live drums lend a more organic feel to the record, especially in a genre where it can be quite easy to go overboard with synths. It's a move that pays off more often than it doesn't, allowing Murray to showcase her vocal strengths, and allowing the group to show off the power of their arrangements.
 
Even with a more stripped-back approach, Slow Air doesn't feel any less absorbing. They've still got a solid ear for dreamy, yet captivating melodies, but with the confidence to push their sound in new directions and see where it takes them.
(Wrecking Light)

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