Seoul — I Become a Shade (June 9th, 2015) •• Seoul is an ambient–pop aggregate from Montreal — ‘blue, breathless, gentle, and absolute’. The mysterious group signed with Last Gang Records just a couple months ago and have been steadily preparing for the release of their debut album, I Become A Shade, on June 9th, 2015. Earlier in April, we caught up with band members Julian Flavin, Dexter Garcia, and Nigel Ward in Toronto just before their first show of the tour and discussed band origins, sounds, and the upcoming record.
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Album release: June 9th, 2015
Record Label: Grand Jury Music
Duration:
Tracks:
01 I Become A Shade 1:56
02 The Line 3:11
03 Haunt / A Light 4:43
04 Real June 4:51
05 Fields 1:39
06 White Morning 3:34
07 Stay With Us 3:57
08 Thought You Were 1:13
09 I Negate 4:00
10 Carrying Home Food In Winter 1:27
11 Silencer 5:32
12 Galway 4:52
℗ 2015 Grand Jury Music
Members:
•• Nigel Ward
•• Julian Flavin
•• Dexter Garcia
Review
By Anna Alger, Published Jun 05, 2015; Score: 9
•• "Blue, breathless, gentle, absolute." That's both the Twitter biography of Seoul and an accurate descriptor of the band's ethos. Hailing from Montreal, the trio of synth–loving perfectionists have a record out — their first — following a multi–year wait that saw a number of singles trickling out online. Cohesive and hypnotizing, yet with a strong propulsive edge, Seoul mimic the best elements of apparent influences such as Deerhunter and Washed Out while honing an original, enveloping sound.
•• Highlights of the album include pulsating single "White Morning," the taut pop and clever lyricism of "Silencer" and the sheer ecstasy and celebration of "Real June." Structurally, the album's lengthier songs are tied together with instrumental threads of contemplation, such as the shimmering "Fields," and guitar–led lullaby "Thought You Were," which is reminiscent of Broken Social Scene.
•• Encapsulating the feeling of barrelling down the Autoroute 15 into Montreal, Seoul burst out of the gate full steam ahead with I Become A Shade. But they know just when to pause along the way to take it all in. http://exclaim.ca/
Review
Louise Burns — Westender, Score: All ratings out of five: 3.5/5
•• Montreal’s Seoul are shrouded in a mysterious glow. Their particular brand of dream pop often echoes the sophisticated panache of France’s Phoenix, but with slower, marshmallow grooves that bring to mind a faded disco ball in an abandoned after hours club.
•• Their debut album begins with its title track, "I Become A Shade.” It’s sleepy, hypnotic and lush and ends with a sharp arpeggiated synth, just to even things out. “White Morning” is an early sunrise anthem as they sing “the moment I wake up I come to life again.” “Silencer” is a wonderful, relaxed exploration into mellow-disco and new romantic lyricism. There is nighttime imagery, cityscapes and urban myths all revealed as much in their sonic textures as in their words. This is some pretty sensual stuff, and that’s OK. I Become A Shade serves as a reminder that sometimes you just gotta pour yourself a glass of white wine and feel something.
•• http://www.westender.com/ © 2015 Vancouver Westender
Also:
Fraser Dobbs; Score: 6
•• http://www.northerntransmissions.com/album-review/review-of-seouls-i-become-a-shade-lp/
Interview
IntoTheCrowdMag / May 21, 2015
•• http://intothecrowdmagazine.com/2015/05/21/interview-seoul/
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/search/Seoul+I+Become+A+Shade
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Seoul — I Become a Shade (June 9th, 2015) •• Seoul is an ambient–pop aggregate from Montreal — ‘blue, breathless, gentle, and absolute’. The mysterious group signed with Last Gang Records just a couple months ago and have been steadily preparing for the release of their debut album, I Become A Shade, on June 9th, 2015. Earlier in April, we caught up with band members Julian Flavin, Dexter Garcia, and Nigel Ward in Toronto just before their first show of the tour and discussed band origins, sounds, and the upcoming record.
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Album release: June 9th, 2015
Record Label: Grand Jury Music
Duration:
Tracks:
01 I Become A Shade 1:56
02 The Line 3:11
03 Haunt / A Light 4:43
04 Real June 4:51
05 Fields 1:39
06 White Morning 3:34
07 Stay With Us 3:57
08 Thought You Were 1:13
09 I Negate 4:00
10 Carrying Home Food In Winter 1:27
11 Silencer 5:32
12 Galway 4:52
℗ 2015 Grand Jury Music
Members:
•• Nigel Ward
•• Julian Flavin
•• Dexter Garcia
Review
By Anna Alger, Published Jun 05, 2015; Score: 9
•• "Blue, breathless, gentle, absolute." That's both the Twitter biography of Seoul and an accurate descriptor of the band's ethos. Hailing from Montreal, the trio of synth–loving perfectionists have a record out — their first — following a multi–year wait that saw a number of singles trickling out online. Cohesive and hypnotizing, yet with a strong propulsive edge, Seoul mimic the best elements of apparent influences such as Deerhunter and Washed Out while honing an original, enveloping sound.
•• Highlights of the album include pulsating single "White Morning," the taut pop and clever lyricism of "Silencer" and the sheer ecstasy and celebration of "Real June." Structurally, the album's lengthier songs are tied together with instrumental threads of contemplation, such as the shimmering "Fields," and guitar–led lullaby "Thought You Were," which is reminiscent of Broken Social Scene.
•• Encapsulating the feeling of barrelling down the Autoroute 15 into Montreal, Seoul burst out of the gate full steam ahead with I Become A Shade. But they know just when to pause along the way to take it all in. http://exclaim.ca/
Review
Louise Burns — Westender, Score: All ratings out of five: 3.5/5
•• Montreal’s Seoul are shrouded in a mysterious glow. Their particular brand of dream pop often echoes the sophisticated panache of France’s Phoenix, but with slower, marshmallow grooves that bring to mind a faded disco ball in an abandoned after hours club.
•• Their debut album begins with its title track, "I Become A Shade.” It’s sleepy, hypnotic and lush and ends with a sharp arpeggiated synth, just to even things out. “White Morning” is an early sunrise anthem as they sing “the moment I wake up I come to life again.” “Silencer” is a wonderful, relaxed exploration into mellow-disco and new romantic lyricism. There is nighttime imagery, cityscapes and urban myths all revealed as much in their sonic textures as in their words. This is some pretty sensual stuff, and that’s OK. I Become A Shade serves as a reminder that sometimes you just gotta pour yourself a glass of white wine and feel something.
•• http://www.westender.com/ © 2015 Vancouver Westender
Also:
Fraser Dobbs; Score: 6
•• http://www.northerntransmissions.com/album-review/review-of-seouls-i-become-a-shade-lp/
Interview
IntoTheCrowdMag / May 21, 2015
•• http://intothecrowdmagazine.com/2015/05/21/interview-seoul/
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/search/Seoul+I+Become+A+Shade
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