REVIEW: Bows, Blush (Too Pure)
- Andrew Duncan
Bound within the realm of trip-hop and no-beat minimalism, the Bows provide ice cream textures with silky elegance that takes one step away from the reality that Portishead and Bjork created.
There is a sense of fantasy involved with their spacious music by erasing any concept of time and creating material that is subconscious in nature. The beats involved are the only thing defines realism by clearly and concisely accentuate each.
Layered beyond the mixture of human and electronic drumming is another world of sampled classical strings. The loops wax and wane freely most commonly filling in the gaps from either the lack of a beat or cunningly averting the attention to a transitional phase as with "Troy Polenta's Big Break" or "Girls Lips Glitter," both drowsy compositions reminiscent of modern classical freeform.
Occasionally, the band gets a mood swing and transforms a classical melody into after-hours jazz by looping in a bass riff as with "Speed Marina."
In between all of this swirling chaos of strings and a modern kaleidoscope of delicate electronica lie Signe Hoirup Wille-Jorgenson's elegant vocal chords. She can softly penetrate the air with her beautiful melodies and whisping voice. "It'll Be Half Time in England Soon" demonstrates this ability with the help of Luke Sutherland's combining to bring a meditative effect to the bustling urban drum and bass filling the gaps.
After this climatic leap, the band drops into a void stopping time with "Sleepyhead." The tremolo guitar effects are tinged with an old-style country western feel backed up by violins crying out like a dusty Southwestern town. All of these lead to the finale appropriately titled "Sleepyhead." There is no turning back as the music escapes gravity and structure.
