Insight & Critique
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact

STILLS - EP

8/12/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
STILLS

​EP 
self-released; 2016

​4.0 out of 5

By J Simpson

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a gothic Victorian short horror story, detailing a young woman's descent into madness, or possibly supernatural possession, while sequestered in the gilded cage of a Victorian drawing room. It's considered a masterpiece of feminist horror, providing rich, detailed insights into what it was to be a woman in the Victorian age, the paradox of love as a prison, and lover as guardian/protector. Symbolically, this duality is captured with the juxtaposition of the lavish, ornate drawing room, which gradually shows its fangs, as the yellow wallpaper design takes on a sinister manifestation.

This gilded horror, this poisonous infatuation, is also the perfect duality to describe EP by Brooklyn’s six-piece Stills, a beautifully understated, sublime mixture of gorgeous vocal harmonies, laid-back shuffling grooves and occasional pyrotechnic flourishes of lead guitar.

"Yellow Walls" is the best place to start, to hear the blend. Bittersweet to the max, Katie Schottland's close harmonies tells the story of a damaging love, the dark side of infatuation, what happens when people turn on each other and tear themselves to pieces. Musically, however, it's as smooth as silk, the most gorgeous love song you've ever heard in your life. It'll bring a tear to your eye, while simultaneously shaking your bones.

Each of EP's four tracks has a similar blend of gorgeousness and maudlin melancholy, all delivered with a mellow groove that sounds as good on warm sunny days as gloomy, overcast afternoons.

People who like the immediacy and dreaminess of Beach House will freak out for Stills, a group that has updated from a folk duo to a full live juggernaut of six members. They also bear a resemblance to dreamy desert rockers Mojave 3, the remnants of shoegaze legends Slowdive that updated their sad, tragic sound with pedal steel filigree and banjo ornamentation.

Stills is wise to keep things slow, dreamy and grooving, rather than trying to push out of their comfort zone for bombast and ferocity. Often times, subtlety and quality speak louder than a thousand cannons and, in that way, Stills are screaming louder than an Arsenal soccer match. It just gets better and better, with each subsequent listen. Every element is perfectly polished and placed. Nothing is out of place, letting the spell take hold completely.

​Let it wash over you. You'll be glad that you did!
official website
Tweet
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

       Critique/insight

    We are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent  music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.

    Tweets by divideanconqer
    Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook


    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

Company

About
Contributors

Newsletter

Newsletter
Book Your Band

© Divide and Conquer 2021. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact