From the teasing synths of opener Now That I’m Real (How Does It Feel?) to the closing wails of Shapeless it is clear that this new super long length EP from Chad Valley is steeped in a deep love for the period when I came of age, check the late 80s and early 90s. His beauteous take on the Chillwave phenomenon pays more than adequate homage to the blissed out Cafe Del Mar style Balearic Beats that I listened to during so many beachtastic student nights on the South Coast. To be clear, order this is no bad thing. Oh the joys of studying in Brighton…
Chad Valley by Lea Rimoux.
It’s curious, then, to learn from our previous interview with Hugo Manuel that Chad Valley is also inspired by the early 1970s, references which are far less obvious (read: I can’t hear them at all, maybe they’ll surface in future work?)
Now That I’m Real (How Does It Feel?)
Rose Dagul of Rhosyn provides harmonies on the first track, but from then on in we’re pretty much with Hugo alone – reverb, vocoder and lush atmospherics surrounding his voice with an ethereal ambience as the drumbeats drive us forward. Occasionally the tempo picks up or drops pace but essentially this is an EP best listened to as a whole. Drift away though the beautiful Equatorial Ultravox musical landscape with Chad Valley. It could just be the soundtrack to your summer.
Chad Valley by Amy Brazier.
Acker Bilk
It seems astonishing that he was only a few songs into the EP when we last spoke with Hugo Manuel back in February. But it’s true, Equatorial Ultravox is out now on Loose Lips in the UK and on Cascine in the US. You can catch Chad Valley live at the awesome Truck Festival – I know I’m looking forward to it. Watch a beautiful remix video of Now That I’m Real from Newdust here.
Categories ,80s, ,90s, ,Acker Bilk, ,Amy Brazier, ,Balearic Beats, ,Blissed Out, ,brighton, ,Cafe Del Mar, ,Cascine, ,Chad Valley, ,Chillwave, ,ep, ,Equatorial Ultravox, ,Hugo Manuel, ,jonquil, ,Lea Rimoux, ,Loose Lips, ,Newdust, ,Now That I’m Real (How Does It Feel?), ,Oxford, ,Remix, ,reverb, ,review, ,Rhosyn, ,Rose Dagul, ,Shapeless, ,Truck Festival, ,vocoder
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