Genre/Influences: Cold-wave, shoegaze.
Background/Info: French trio Candélabre saw the light of day in 2017. All of the members were previously involved with other music bands. This self-titled and self-released EP is an opportunity to discover 5 songs from this band.
Content: One of the first elements that caught my attention is the particular and fragile-like timbre of voice of Cindy Sanchez. Her vocals create the right match with the music, which sounds like an offspring between cold-wave and shoegaze music. The guitar parts are sometimes evoking The Cocteau Twins while I also have to mention X Mal Deutschland for the cold reverie recovering the songs.
+ + + : The 80s influences will for sure appeal for numerous new-wave fans, but I think this band also has something special. I like the guitar parts, which inject this touch of magic to the production. It also creates a kind of obscure atmosphere like announcing a nearby disaster. The fusion with the sweet and fragile vocal parts accentuates the sensitive side of the work. But I also experienced the songs as pretty intimate. The last song “Carrion Season” is a beautiful apotheosis to a promising EP. Last, but not least I also have to say a word about the great artwork of this EP, which perfectly represents the melancholia running through the songs.
– – – : I just noticed one song (cf. “Fortress Of Salvation”), which couldn’t convince me. That’s not really a good reason to complain don’t you think?
Conclusion: Candélabre doesn’t innovate at any single moment, but reveals a pleasant work. It sounds like an Autumn atmosphere when the leaves are falling from the trees. I hope to hear more from this band.
Best songs: “Carrion Season”, “Last Rites”, “Lone Wolf”.
Rate: (7½).
Artist & Label: www.facebook.com/candelabre.band
Since you’re here … … we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. And unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can. So you can see why we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive. If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 2 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you. The donations are safely powered by Paypal.
