REVIEW: Matthew and the Atlas – Pale Sun Rose

A load of bad stuff happened in 2010.  Eyjafjallajökull began spewing volcanic ash into the atmosphere, 2.5 million litres of diesel oil was dumped into the Italian River Lambro, causing a huge environmental crisis, and worst of all, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga won American Music Awards.

Luckily, however, it was during 2010 that Matthew Hegarty, an English landscape gardener, began to record music. Four years and two (incredible) extended plays later, Matthew Hegarty and his five piece band, known as Matthew and the Atlas, have just released the electronica infused folk song ‘Pale Sun Rose’, a single from their long-awaited album ‘Other Rivers’, which goes on sale on the 14^th of April.

The single, in physical copy, is a simple, refined object; A cardboard sleeve, layered under a basic pink hued title. With in the sleeve lays a 7” vinyl, rose coloured, flecked through with tints of blues. The single was released in February of this year on Communion Records, and both the A and B sides were produced and mixed by Kristofer Harris of Story Books.

The needle is placed on the spinning disc, and with a long, wavering note of synth, that pans through it’s listener, Pale Sun Rose begins. A strand of notes transcend from a banjo, set over the top of the still echoing note. With the line ‘North coast swells, I feel it when the cold comes in’ the listener is introduced the voice of Hegarty. Unique, soul wrenching, casting itself across the listener. His vocals are full of texture and grain, and demand full attention and appreciation.

As the first verse comes to a close,  Hegarty is drowned out by an intricate and distilled riff. The song builds with help from  the sharp and steady beats of drum, and Hegarty works through another beautifully poetic verse –

 “evening came to the corners of my mind again,

cold and clean, ringing on an open plain,

and it seems so long, my friend,

my memories have all but gone,

back to my whispering mind.”

His voice clawing and scratching, oozing talent and passion. The synth and bass, previously shrouded in layers of flowing streams of Hegarty and his band, momentarily comes to the foreground, and with the irresistible line “back to my whispering mind”, harrowing bass floods through the listeners privileged ear canal. A flawless, bursting riff pierces through and Hegarty releases an echoing chorus. The single grows into a mob of face melting goodness, a euphoric bubble of poetry and eclectic sound.  And with a few beats of a drum, disappears far too soon.

The single is flipped over, and the B side, ‘Out Of The Darkness’ releases its first few chords of minimalist piano. Hegarty’s voice once again is an incredible spectacle to behold. Every note is as unique and evocative as the last. ‘Out Of The Darkness’ tells a tale of love and loss, fear and recovery, and is told in a way that simply leaves the listener speechless. The song begins quietly, but soon fashions itself into an incredible piece, with flawless production and emotive lyrics. Echoing reverb and haunting guitar, reminiscent of that found on Ben Howard’s Burgh Island EP, create an atmosphere which utterly envelopes the listener, transporting them to another world, into another’s life.  A beautiful song.

So what have we learnt.

‘Pale Sun Rose’ is an incredible début single from a band whose popularity and success is rapidly increasing. This, coupled with the elegant and evocative ‘Out Of The Darkness’ makes for a truly enjoyable seven and a half minutes of music.

Matthew And The Atlas’s début album ‘Other Rivers’ is released on the 14^th of April, and I am really, really looking forward to it.

Thank god for 2010.

Luke’s Rating 8/10