(Photo by Genevieve Pierson)
It's no secret to anyone that some of the best music comes out of the Northwest so when The Head and the Heart sent out a promo tweet earlier this year championing the new release from fellow Seattleites Lemolo, I took immediate notice. And though I was expecting something more in line with The Head and the Heart's chipper, celebratory form of folk pop, the fact that Lemolo were nothing like that didn't detract at all from my enjoyment of the duo's shifting dream-pop reveries.
Meagan Grandall and Kendra Cox make music that keeps very much inline with the waters where the two kayaking instructors met: their songs characterized by waves of beguilingly perfect harmonies, rich, flowing textures, and a loose adherence to standard songwriting structure - most of the duo's songs easily surpass the 3 minute mark and are far better for it.
Lemolo - Whale Song by soundonthesound
What makes Lemolo so special goes a bit beyond the ear-catching nature of tracks like "Move Me" or "Open Air" or the stunning majesty of 7 minute sprawl "We Felt the Fall" or album opener "Knives". On their debut album The Kaleidoscope, Lemolo unleashes a dazzling display of atmospherics - an impressive feat considering the duo don't rely excessively on any effects. Instead, capitalizing on airy vocals that don't at all betray the raw vocal power the two wield effortless.
Lemolo are definitely ones to watch, equally at home in hazier soundscapes or straightforward indie-pop, brimming with an exceptional level of talent that can only refine more and more with time. The Kaleidoscope is no doubt a strong debut that satiates an aural need you didn't know you had while simultaneously making you crave for more. Here's hoping it won't be too long before Lemolo can deliver.
You can stream/buy Lemolo's The Kaleidoscope over at Bandcamp:
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