Full Circle kicks off with a bang, as “Pray” operates at a faster pace than much of what comes after. The instrumental is an intricate mechanism of synths and drums all whirring together in unison, reminiscent of The xx’s early material.
Unfortunately, though, Haelos can’t maintain their early stratospheric standard, and the rest of ‘Full Circle’ is far more pedestrian fare. While not fatal, that dip in quality is anticlimactic: as each track drifts by in a haze of breakbeat, dual vocals and space echo, positioning Haelos more. New British experimental rock threesome Haelos' debut album, Full Circle, is loaded with synths and heavily influenced by '90s trip-hop group Portishead.Their EP, Earth Not Above, was released in.
As we dig deeper into the project though, the tempo slows down and the tracks start to blur together. The somberness is obvious in the reverberating guitar line of “Alone” or the pained falsetto of “Cloud Nine”, but often there’s a layer of foggy detachment. Even through the fancy wiring of Radiohead’s Kid A, Thom Yorke’s emotions were easy to glom onto.
“Earth Not Above” tweaks the formula with pounding break drums and a tightrope synth string melody that gives the track some underlying menace. “Is this what we have become?” asks Lotti Benardout, with resignation, already knowing the answer.
There aren’t any outright failures on Full Circle - Bernardout and her bandmates Dom Goldsmith and Arthur Delaney are too talented to turn out a subpar project - but there are moments that simply lack staying power.
Unfortunately, though, Haelos can’t maintain their early stratospheric standard, and the rest of ‘Full Circle’ is far more pedestrian fare. While not fatal, that dip in quality is anticlimactic: as each track drifts by in a haze of breakbeat, dual vocals and space echo, positioning Haelos more as fans of Portishead than as their peers, it. Album Review: Haelos Ask For Any Random Kindness May 7, 2019 May 7, 2019 Diandra Reviews Haelos have an unmatched capacity to make hopelessness sound optimistic.
Still, it’ll be exciting to keep an eye on HÆLOS, because once they peel back the layers of cool kid sorrow into something deeper and more universal they have the talent to produce a stellar record. They clearly don’t lack ambition, as evidenced by Full Circle’s Alan Watts introduction, and bands this secure in their sound as newcomers are hard to find.
Last week, HÆLOS, an uptempo electronic band from the U.K., took to Brighton Music Hall to dish out some atmospheric grooves to a captivated audience. Prior to the show, I wasn’t really aware of who these folks were, but I was told I’d dig their sound (an understatement). In the two days leading up to the show, I took myself on a crash-course through their discography on Spotify to get an idea of what I’d be hearing.
With an EP, a full-length album (2016’s Full Circle), and a handful of singles under their belt, HÆLOS (yes, it’s pronounced like an angel’s headgear) has recently been hard at work recording and touring in support of their upcoming album Any Random Kindness. So far, they’ve released four singles that will appear on the full-length: “Buried in the Sand,” “Kyoto,” “Boy / Girl,” and “End of the World Party.” After going through these singles, I knew I’d be in for a treat at Brighton Music Hall.
Local synthpop balladeers Photocomfort led the charge to open the night. Fronted by Justine Bowe, their sound was a perfect preface to HÆLOS: hauntingly melodic, tender-yet-ferocious in delivery, skillfully played and performed. In the midst of all their synth-driven orchestration came the highlight of their set. As Bowe introduced it before sitting down at a keyboard, “This is the part of the set where we become a piano country band.” The promise was fulfilled: the band played two beautiful, emotive tracks. The deep red curtains that hang behind the stage at BMH only made it feel a little like seeing a band play the Roadhouse at the end of a Twin Peaks episode. If you have the chance to see Photocomfort around Boston soon, it’s highly recommended that you do so!
After that, HÆLOS took the stage, and plenty of folks had made the Tuesday night trip to Allston to see what they could do. For those unfamiliar (like I was), the British four-piece feels a little like a cross between compatriots the xx and Foals. They lay down infectious, groovy drum breaks with funky bass lines to provide a table over which female and male vocals mix and cross over each other. They played all the new singles I mentioned above, plus a generous portion of their earlier work, including “Dust,” the first song and single the band wrote and released.
Maybe it was because I had just listened to almost everything this band had available on Spotify, but I could have sworn I had heard this track somewhere before. Despite the internal agony this wondering caused, the pulsing synth lines, dreamy vocals, and overall catchiness of HÆLOS kept my head firmly attached to my dancing feet.
The only downside of this show – because HÆLOS only have a few releases under their belt as of now – was that it clocked in at about an hour. Plenty of attendees (myself included) will be happy once this band has a few certified hits under their belt, if only to add a little more to those set times.
Okuma Helios Review
Keep an eye out for Any Random Kindness when it comes out later this year on May 10th, and be sure to check out the video for “Buried in the Sand” below!