Tall Kingdom – Fourth EP (2020)
Since Tall Kingdom was created by Stuart Thomas and Richard Meller, it has evolved from a duo to a four-piece collective. The band looks to showcase musicians and vocalists from around Leeds and highlight the rich talent the region has to offer. Their latest EP Fourth EP continues this dream with three breathtaking tracks.
The EP combines the bands love of classic 70s recordings and live instrumentation. This is blended with electronica, psychedelia and hip-hop to catch the imagination. Each track on the EP highlights a different influence creating a showcase of the band’s musical abilities.
The opening track ‘Fourth’ features Marija Clara whose commanding presence is felt from the first gasping notes. Her sultry vocals weave the gentle lyrics of the track to a jazzy rhythm. While her performance is utterly captivating, it is held up beautifully by the garage-tinged broken beat and melodic waves. There is an amazing energy to this song present in the vocal layers and harmonic lifts.
Where ‘Fourth’ was an ethereal wonderland, ‘Unison’ is all hip-hop beats and deep textures. There is a rippling synth line in the song that evolves into washed-out guitars. This track has so many layers that work perfectly together in an atmospheric masterpiece. There is some electronic, soaring trumpets and oddly timed angular beats. Somehow all of these elements combine in a way that is pleasing to the ear and a testament to Tall Kingdom’s musical prowess.
The last track is ‘Mansion Gate’ which explores some live instrumentation and electronic programming. There are fuzzy notes and shuffling beats that really get you moving to their beat. The gentle melody of the track picks up the pace and leads you to a post-rock climax of epic proportions. The build-up in this track is subtle and you don’t realise it is there until you are thrown off the outro cliff.
Tall Kingdom explores different sounds and rhythms on Fourth EP to provide you with a mini sound feast. Each track is distinctive and wonderful in its own way. From enthralling guest vocals to multi-layered melodies, there is something to captivate everyone on this EP.
Find out more about Tall Kingdom on their Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
