Print Edition: June 18, 2014
Diamond Mind
Fake Tape
In Canada, the major music scenes are in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. Edmonton doesn’t normally come to mind. Yet the city has some rising talents, including Diamond Mind with the release of Fake Tape. The prominent sound on the EP is reminiscent of the ‘50s and goes from being serious to more upbeat. “Swimsuit Scene” has a summer vibe that will make you wish that BC didn’t have as much rain. Interestingly, the song “Dragon Egg” appears three times on the EP, evolving into a new song each time. The “selfie” remix makes it into an electronic version. I would definitely recommend checking out the original version of “Dragon Tape,” and if you want to make it feel a bit more like summer (amid rain and exams), “Swimsuit Scene.” If you enjoy what you hear, get the whole EP.
Highasakite
Silent Treatment
For you who favour Fun or Beach House, this Norwegian indie band Highasakite will appeal to your ears. Lead vocalist Ingrid Helene is not your typical female vocalist. Her voice holds an intriguing hollow timbre and goes in and out of sounding like a male tenor to a deep female alto. Her vocal style could be compared to a tamer version of Florence and the Machine. Utilizing steel drums and other percussive instruments, the band keeps you flying high with their energy, yet aren’t so eclectic and chaotic that they make you feel overwhelmed with the diverse instrumentation in the background. The beat stays steady with its strong underlying consistency. In “Indian Summer,” the band has definitely jumped on the gang-vocals bandwagon, but they achieve the sound well. Though the melodic contour of most of their songs seems to sing with a sense of disappointment, there’s a hopeful bright element with the use of light-sounding instruments like the flugabone (marching trombone), zither, and synths paired with syncopated rhythms. This feature acts as friendly lift of the proverbial downcast musical chin, indicating to the listener that “everything is going to be all right.”
