Album Notes

A review by George Aird for Hidden Sounds.
May I praise Early Maze's decision to record the whole album from start to finish in an echoey tunnel, unconventional but times are hard 'ey. Beside the blatant sarcasm intended, the point I am getting at is they certainly have gone to town on the reverb effects for the vocals, which plays a prominent part in both distinguishing the albums genre, but also inducing a trippy feel for the listeners. So have this group of auditory drug dealers hit musical gold, or are they just too high to realise their downfalls?

I'd like to feel it's a bit of both, which is a good thing. In previous times Early Maze have released a somewhat melancholy take on a Christmas song (See here), of which probably won't be making its way onto a John Lewis advert any time soon, quite reassuringly. In fact, after a bit of background listening you can't really escape the feeling of daunting misery with some of this bands creations. The album title 'Were Our Bodies Ever Found?' doesn't exactly conjure feelings of glee or warm the heart. All of this being somewhat perplexing given the lackadaisical and relaxed sound of the band.

Opening with a lengthy chaotic symphony was certainly a brave move, possibly offending fans expecting an easy listen, and disheartening new listeners who may be slightly confused by the whole thing. The introduction for the album is openly dark, a culmination of whining and whaling of guitars. It is difficult to distinguish whether guitarist and vocalist Jamie Harwood is playing is guitar, or whether he is torturing it. Either way Deadlight asserts itself as an explosive experience for the listener.

With the reoccurrence of echoing vocals from both Jamie Harwood and Michelle Gunton the album progresses into something altogether more pleasant with the second track Miles Away. The inclusion of Gunton's choral vocals stamping out any suspicion that the album may be entirely dark.

In fact during Miles Away, Show Some Speed, Waves and Collide the album seems to have taken some Manchester influence. Slightly distorted guitars and changeable bass lines add a whole new dimension to the bands already impressively distinguished music. There is a definite divide between the hypnotic psychedelic sounds resonating in the large majority of Were Our Bodies Ever Found?, and these previously mentioned tracks, which stand out like a bouquet of Stone Roses. Evidently Early Maze are not concerned in displaying their vast collectic influences in their own music.

Were Our Bodies Ever Found? is an intricate puzzle of dark and seductive themes woven beautifully with the relaxed charm which seems omnipresent in everything that Early Maze create. To suggest that this band is obsessed with a forgotten era of music would be blissfully ignorant. Forget indie, forget rap, forget blues; gone are the days of bands trapped in the confides of specific genres, Early Maze are escape artists from the trap of musical normality, and I for one am fucking glad about it. Fantastic band, even better prospect.