House party hangover bringers, Moats reveal another side to their musical palette, Getintothis’ Sam Banks dives right in.
Moats – a band that we usually associate with sweaty mosh pits, intimate shows and house parties… Well, maybe the lads have allowed us to delve into their “softer” side with a track dedicated to possibly the most elegant of musicians to ever grace the planet. Yes, the track is still a heavy-hitting ballad that we’ve grown accustom to, but their usual brooding and desolate stance on songwriting seems to take the back seat throughout this new track.
It is evident that the lads are influenced by many disciplines of music, and this track accentuates their ability to change directions within their musical development. Their new release breaks away from their tainted pre-conception of “Garage Rock”. Yes, the track contains similar elements to previous material such as Gas & Snakepit but the melancholic vibes will have you meditating in a trance-like state.
The track opens with an almost 70’s krautrock-esc electronica introduction (extremely reminiscent of Can’s acclaimed track Paperhouse) luring the listener into a false sense of security. Almost immediately Moats’ powerfully distorted vocals introduce themselves. The raw, jarring melody almost mirrors that of King Krule, complimenting the grunge-ridden attack.
Several references to Jeff Buckley’s one and only studio-album Grace appear throughout the track with lyrics such as “This, is my last goodbye” and “Drink this Lilac Wine, with my Mojo Pin”, all of which are track titles on the album.
“He’s got grace that bleeds” found in the mid-way through the chorus creates a fitting hook line that will have you humming for days (trust us).
The reverberant, psychedelic soundscape employed from the guitars are contrasted by the smooth bass-line and intricate drumbeat that thuds through the rear of your headphones, a technique not too dissimilar to the likes of Foals, Swim Deep and Bombay Bicycle Club.
After self-recording their debut release Singapore in a bedroom, the lads are a proven dab-hand when it comes to production, an impressive “home-demo” has never sounded so refreshing. It’s safe to say, Moats are onto a winner.
