Secret Shine - Elemental EP Review
4 Comments Published by Tom on Thursday, February 23, 2006 at 11:00.
Over the past few years the sound of shoegazing has been making a resurgence. Bands such as Aerial, Air Formation and countless others have been making music inspired by the likes of Ride, My Bloody Valentine, The Pale Saints to name but a few whilst The Telescopes and Slowdive have either reformed or had their back catalogue re-issued.
Towards the end of it's existence in the mid 1990's the cult record label Sarah was moving away from it's jangle pop roots and was releasing music which fitted in the shoegazing/dreampop remit. One of the bands on Sarah was Bristol's Secret Shine who have now emerged ten years later and have released an EP which sounds like they have never been away despite suffering the tragic loss of drummer Tim Morris in early 2005 just as work had commenced on the new material.
On You Are Inside, which was the last song to feature contributions from Morris and is actually dedicated to him, Kathryn Smith's vocals barely rise above the disorted guitars which results in an epic encounter for supremacy leaving the listener barely able to pause for breath. Adored continues in the same vein with vocals, guitars and the sampler lost in the swirling mists of time. Only on final track Evermore is the focus and rhythm of the EP somewhat lost as it struggles to keep pace with the previous two tracks.
This is an enjoyable EP and should be purchased for the first two tracks alone. The band have already recorded a follow up EP with an album and live dates due later this year.
Clips:
Secret Shine - You Are Inside
Secret Shine - Adored
Secret Shine - Evermore
The secret shine site seems to be down. Argh.
Didn't the Secret Shine feature Christian, who went on to Slowdive?
The Secret Shine is under construction and a shiny new one should be up very soon!
simon h b - i think you're thinking of Eternal who did a great 3-track for Sarah (Breathe/Take Me Down/something else I can't remember) and nothing else i'm aware of.