Monday, January 2, 2012

MP3// Strange Names: Demons


American duo Strange Names dropped this stunner of a track about this time yesterday. A four minute number, 'Demons' is refreshingly varied, undergoing numerous deaths and an equal number of glorious resurrections, all the while maintaining an impossible sense that each reincarnation holds the same ethos as its forefathers. The song opens with a distinct and alien whirring, met by drums and warm bass that groove and glide upon its surface. A male singer begins to sing, his voice perfectly matched to the tone of the track. These two elements, instrumental and vocal, manage to embed themselves within each other, and an incredible unity emerges from their amalgamation. Quietly brilliant harmonies add another layer to the sound, before and the song seamlessly switches. At 1:10 we discover a softer chorus of sorts, that same uniquely alien effect running through its veins. At 1:50 however this phase is ripped from our tender grasp. In its place, a deeper, lilt inspired voice makes its way into our ears. The line "Someone save me from my demons" concludes the track, a powerful sentence, repeated and plead like a macabre chant, and I love it! Stream above!