After hearing VOWWS’ debut album The Great Sun, I became a fan of their distinguishable sound which instantly piqued my interest. It is rather difficult to stay up to date with new releases and it often seems that the music sky has become overcrowded with emerging stars. However, VOWWS undoubtedly deserve to be placed among the best new pop acts. There’s clearly more to their pop than just pop. It’s twisted, dark, gloomy at times, unpredictable, and, most of all, unpretentious. This band is genuine all the way, and that’s what I like so much about them. There’s no pretence in what they do; they keep pouring their hearts and souls into their creation and that’s exactly what you can hear and feel. When you recognize the genuine talent, knowledge and skill, you must appreciate such rare gems. Whether you perceive their music as dark pop or melancholic alternative rock with heavy use of synths, it doesn’t change the fact their sound exceeds the labels and boundaries they often impose. The opener “You Never Knew” delivers a mix of raw sound, punchy beats and melodic twists and turns. Although their songs are catchy, you can’t quite predict the melodies; they maintain the mystery and the suspense they create keeps you interested to the last note. A lot has been weaved into the fabric of their sound and “Esseff” attests to that; we can hear influences from the alternative to surf rock entwined with electronica and spiced up with grandiosity. The vocals of Matt and Rizz intertwine beautifully, whether they take turns or perform in unison. They show great capacity for melody, which can be heard on “One Or The Other”, “Burn”, “Wild Wind” or “Inside Out”; you are simply carried away by the mellow and floating soundscapes and brought to the world of their art. It is absolutely impossible to single out songs which stand out; I was pleasantly surprised to find the album which is so completely superb, without weak links or songs to skip. They introduce the atonal approach to composition into a pop structure, which makes their expression mysterious, peculiar and uncanny, yet utterly sublime, extraordinary and astonishing.
The album is available on all digital streaming services and it will be available on vinyl on April 20th via Anti–Language Records in the US and Weyrd Son Records in Europe. The European vinyl will be a special, 2-colour limited edition. It is the first full length release on the band’s own label, Anti-Language Records. You can listen to, share and buy the album here.