Some things in life seem like a match made in heaven. A perfect pairing, greater together than the sum of their parts. I’ve always maintained that First Aid Kit and The Staves would be just such a combination if they ever got together. On paper it just makes so much sense; two groups of sisters famed for their flawless harmonies. In practice however I’d long since dismissed the idea as wishful thinking, a kind of “ultimate supergroup” daydream. So when First Aid Kit announced the tour accompanying their latest record Ruins with The Staves as their support act, it took me all of ten milliseconds to decide that I needed to be a part of it. Continue reading →

Art is a balance between positive and negative, not just about what you create but also about what you leave untouched. Shadows you cast are just as important as the light that forms them, and fine details are best appreciated in context to the empty space around them. In music however that balance is particularly difficult, as you try to imbue meaning into moments of quiet. la.nskey has the required light touch to make such a minimalist mosaic come to life. Having already impressed us with her work with Belwood favourites The Last Dinosaur, bringing such gorgeous and elegant strings to the mix, her solo work makes something from nothing like some incorporeal projection dancing in the mist. ‘Agnes’ features the barest whispers of piano, so light and airy you almost feel like you dreamt them, and the vocals on ‘Yours’ hang on like the final tendrils of a fading memory. I’m generally a sceptic of electronic music, but they set such a curious atmosphere on ‘Nostalgia’, and work so well alongside the more organic elements on ‘Little Lamb’, that I can’t help but make an exception. This EP (best enjoyed as a whole) is like some auditory illusion; its gentle ambient nature means it so easily fades into the background, but when you catch yourself paying closer attention to it suddenly it’s like there’s nothing else but you, the music, and the spaces in-between.

Fans of The Last Dinosaur, Daughter, Keaton Henson and modern Radiohead should check out la.nskey’s Third EP