Track of the Day: Quiet Tongues – Ennui
The term ‘ennui’ refers to a feeling of listlessness, boredom and ultimate dissatisfaction; however, Quiet Tongues ‘Ennui’ is anything but dull or dissatisfying. Initially formed in 2018 as Modra Luna, the UK-based foursome focused on dipping their toe in the London music scene performing at notable venues like The Finsbury. Yet, in 2020 the lads headed in a new direction using the name Quiet Tongues. Influenced by the likes of Tame Impala, Queens of the Stone Age, Massive Attack and Talking Heads, the lads show an appreciation of various sounds, and this is evident in their music. Come with us as we delve into their debut single ‘Ennui’.
Featured on notable blogs like It’s All Indie, Loudhacker and Thoughts Words Action, Quiet Tongues has been described as tremendous and hypnotic. The infectiousness of the quartet is not merely down to their melodic arrangements but also genre-bending sound. Melding elements of alternative rock with grunge, 90s rock and indie-pop, the band’s music is a melting pot of sound. Moreover, their ability to push each instrument as a prominent element but still harmonically combine the drums, guitars and gruff vocals as a united whole is intriguing.
The melody itself can stand on its own as something spectacular, but it is the lyricism that makes ‘Ennui’ more poignant. Using gruff vocals, Quiet Tongues takes on listlessness but from another perspective. Instead of being something bad, a person could use ennui for good as a coping mechanism. The band explains that “…when something or someone is constantly dragging you down, the only way to cope is to care less and less until you don’t care at all. This state of being then feels like an accessory to your person and a necessity of everyday life.”
What I find most interesting about ‘Ennui’ is how the bold, fiery melody aligns with the potentially controversial theme. The fiery sound dispels any feeling of ennui and you come out on the other side with a sense of hope, power and “in your face” acceptance.
For more from Quiet Tongues check out their official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
