- Velure’s debut album ‘Care For Fading Embers’ isn’t something to put on when you need an energy boost or some fast music to drive you. It’s music for careful reflection, the quieter times, and when you want to world to slip away. Thus I think I made a mistake first listening to it after a drum’n’bass session. Luckily though the second time I “got it”.
The album is a trip through a world of subtle beats, soft melodies and breathy sensual vocals from Lynnelle Morgan. Velure mix together the accordion, analogue synthesizers, guitars, bass and loads of programming. Three of the five members of the band are credited for programming various tracks and playing different synthesisers. For all these computers though the music blends the organic with the electronic to perfect measure.
The album is not missing in emotion either. It began as a collaboration with Norwegian Producer Erik Lloyd Wolkoff (Portishead, Coldplay, Café del Mar). During the first few months of recording, Wolkoff died suddenly, leaving the group to realise their vision alone. The resulting album reflects the all the emotion, passion, beauty and sadness of the long journey to its completion, and is dedicated to Erik’s memory. Knowing this makes the listening all the more poignant.
The album builds from the slow stripped back opening track of “Music from Outside” with the pianette in track 3, “Words to Speak” giving an exotic edge to this trip hop style track. The string sections in “Hide the Fool” and “Down Again” are reminiscent of Portishead’s PNYC where they had a 30-piece New York philharmonic orchestra and a five-piece horn ensemble do their thing. It’s unfair to compare Velure to the bands of old but their music to me stirs up memories of all the tracks by Massive Attack, the Sneaker Pimps, Portishead and others I loved. Music in the style of down tempo, dubby beats that can turn nasty and dark or soar with joy in the blink of an eye. “Define Love” is a classic example with the beat going in the background while the vocals and effects add loads of texture to the song.
From track 7 onwards the mood lightens and Lynelle fills us with a bit of hope in the track “Beautiful”, her ghostly vocals gliding over the melody. The guitar motifs come to the fore in “Recall” making for a warm atmosphere that compliments the gorgeous chorus about how music can enter our minds and go around and around. The album winds up as it began with a reprise of “Music from Outside” that feels more full of wonder and optimism.
This album is a wonderful debut of polished and richly layered music from Velure. If your CD collection is in need of some more downbeat and you’re up for something new give “Care For Fading Embers” a spin in a quiet moment. It's a grower once you get it.