'Chapter Two: The Slender Blade'
Palindrones
(Bandcamp)
You know that sometimes the opening track on an album gives a slightly false impression of what follows? Well, the intro track to Palindrones stunning follow up to 2023's 'Chapter One: With Fearful Velocity' concept album is a bit like that. Opening with 'Sunspot' with the washing sounds of a tide coming in, the deeply orchestral tones and seagull cries that follow make you think of a visionary soundtrack album, before album standout track 'Kryne Lamia' with its counterpoint and overlaid male/female vocals, expertly crafted club beat electro dream pop backing, and beautiful, yet unsettling lyrics, kicks in. It's a surprise, but a welcome one. 'Chapter One: With Fearful Velocity', introduced a mythical science fiction tale centred around humankind’s first contact with extra-terrestrial life, in the vein of many a Sci-fi film (2001: A Space Odyssey, Solaris, etc).
'Chapter Two: The Slender Blade' picks up that story line " in humankind’s dark forest of the soul, evolving into archetypal themes of hope, redemption, transcendence, universal consciousness and human connection" (they say). That translates into superior and well produced electronic music that melds clubby Trance and Techno influences with Vangelis like synth washes, and pulsing EBM beats. That can get a bit much on tracks like 'Azathoh' which can't seem to make up its mind and instead throws it all in there, but the vast majority works brilliantly and Karen has a great voice and delivery, tailor made for this sort of thing, with co-conspirator Jamie the perfect counterfoil. This has real commercial potential and if club music was still an evolving genre, it would be a shoo in. As it is, they appear live alongside gothic electronic acts at small venues, whereas really they deserve to be the UK's answer to Boy Harsher, as evidenced by epic tracks like 'Animus' and 'Sùil Nan Diathan'. Listen for yourself and you will see what I mean. Having a focus, a theme, for an album is essential in my view. It holds it all together. Otherwise its just a bunch of songs. Palindrones (you get the pun in the name?) understand this, and the importance of evolving a sound and story over an album, well and execute it masterfully. They are adept at creating videos that capture that essence too.
This is a big step on from Chapter One for Palindrones. By Chapter Three they will be unstoppable.
Essential Information: 'Chapter Two: The Slender Blade' is available to buy on CD and download from Bandcamp here, where you can also buy 'Chapter One: With Fearful Velocity', so you have the full story.
