Compelling with a sound consistently delivering atmospheric and melodic strengths alike, Madeleine Moment is the captivating debut album from Silverhours, the London-based artist who caught our ears with the album single “Doldrums” in April. Relaying a “story of love, sorrow and passion,” throughout its 9 tracks, the album captures Silverhours’ firm grasp and songwriting smarts within rock, electronic, and jazz styles, resulting in a firmly replay-inducing sound.
The opening “Daffodils” stirs with its spacious, emotional embrace. Soaring vocals and distorted guitar swells craft a darkly industrial intrigue to start, lightening up tonally as percussive pit-pattering enters the fold. The interchanging grip of the ominously lingering distortion and playful percussive segments is exemplary of the project’s eclectic tonal reaches, apparent throughout Madeleine Moment, an album that impresses in its ability to deliver intriguing atmospheric unveilings while retaining an immersive melodic component.
The gentler, evolving “One Day” is another highlight, delivering a more anticipated build-up from effervescent sereneness into a rousing, rhythmically involved second half. “Wake up in this beautiful Paris apartment,” the vocals beckon, continuing the feelings of lush escapism with twinkling keys and ruminating guitars. The track develops with beautiful precision into a second half cohesively meshing glistening keys and vibrant percussion.
“The Coastline” proves certain that Silverhours would create a lovely instrumental album, if they were so inclined. The spacey synth prancing incorporates gorgeously with sporadic guitar twangs, establishing a chilling soundscape that traverses seamlessly into the subsequent “Hotel Room,” a standout success whose deft fusing of charismatic rhythms, moody guitars, and electronic touches compare fondly to modern Radiohead.
Madeleine Moment is an album rich in texture and melodic strengths, stirring with its eclectic grasp. The finale “Petrichor” gracefully incorporates heart-tugging strings and gentle piano alongside lush vocals, showing shades of The Clientele. Spanning nearly 7 minutes, the epic closer culminates in an invigorating vocal escalation that coincides with string-laden majesty, closing this fantastic album with a strong, diverse flair.
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“Daffodils” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of July 2023’ Spotify playlist.
