Dust Jacket Dispatch

Deafen the Creatures - This World of Ours EP

A few months back, I gave a review of Deafen The Creatures’ first EP, The Way the Noise Began. I loved the airy dreamscapes they created with their sound and the fact that a band so young could produce something with such sonic complexity. I’m a little late to the table with this review of their latest EP (which is FREE to download from their website) but I’m proud to report that The Creatures have not lost their touch. This World of Ours is a slick, polished collection of guitar-tinged electronica.

The first thing you’ll notice is the stronger presence of Elinor Alicia Gray’s vocals. Following the instrumental opener (appropriately titled “Intro”), she has a commanding role in “Empty Sky.” The dual vocals from her and Kieran Joyce mark the verses, but it’s the in-between sections of “ohs” when her sound really takes off. “Empty Sky,” like its real-world namesake, is a song to get lost in. There’s a loose, open feeling to the piece that is perfect for watching the clouds drift by on a cool afternoon.

“Time to Go” shines more of a spotlight on Daniel Finney’s piano and programming skills. The electronic percussion hits a wide range of beats and tempos to accompany the vocals. I’m particularly fond of the line, “Nothing but your word could set me loose.” Maybe it’s because I’ve always had a soft spot for fairytales or maybe it’s because I’m an English major, but a line like this really hits on the strength of language, the way we are sometimes leveled by certain utterances and set free by others.

The title track is a laid-back, ballad-esque number that is marked by haunting, echoing clacks and slow-building cymbal crashes throughout. There are sections where Joyce takes the reins and leads the way with his voice. But sharing is key here, as Gray takes over on several occasions and lends a silvery kind of disappointment to the narrative at work. The way she sings the closing line, “You could have changed” along with Joyce carries a weight to it that blends nicely.

While “We Remain” threatens to fall into the category of sounding same-y, there’s a stronger, steady beat that builds its way in as the song hits its chorus. It’s a much needed touch that makes it a memorable track instead of just being plain and simply good. There’s a mantra-like quality in the repetition of Joyce’s “I’ll wait to find the place to start again.”

For now, the only way to see Deafen the Creatures is if you’re out in the UK. Right now, they’re scheduled to appear in Manchester on the 22nd of March. Since I’m stuck here in the US, go and see them for me.

—Written by Grant Goodman