ArtClassInk - Alt, Shoegaze Rock - Oxford, UK
There’s a lot of history in Oxford. Being the same town from which the almighty Radiohead hails certainly makes for an intimidating set of shoes to fill for blooming new acts, but ArtClassSink tackles the issue head on. Having played the same early clubs as Yorke and company did back in the day and shared the stage with numerous big names, including mathcore twang masters, TTNG, you definitely come to expect something great from this “alternative shoegaze rock” group. With a newly released EP, “ILLA”, under their belts, ArtClassSink seeks to make their own Oxford statement, hoping to step into those Yorke shoes with ease.
The intro, entitled “She”, starts things off in such a way that is a bit misleading for listeners. The lone bass guitar fools us into thinking that these Oxford boys are somewhat of a minimalist vintage 60s revival band with its deceivingly simple chord progression, but as the song grows, you quickly hear ArtClassSink come to life. A guitar gradually floats its way in as the rest of the band drops out. Ambience begins to echo across the speakers, reverberating back and forth and painting an exceedingly dark, textured mood with strings and delay. Then, before you know it, the band slams into an emotionally heavy section of rising notes that are reaching for some sort of pinnacle. The repetition of rising and falling serves as a perfect introduction for everything that’s to come on “ILLA".
“Time To Go (Before the Rivalry)” is the album’s most energetic track (a rise, if you will), but vocalist Joe Biggs has a surprisingly subdued delivery to pair with the intensity. His smooth, brooding voice, which conjures up comparisons to early The Smiths’ material, builds a nice contrast between the rest of the band’s rowdy playing. After the song’s conclusion, the reasonable side of me was ready for another high-energy track, but by this point, I should have learned to expect the unexpected with ArtClassSink.
My personal favorite track, “Cry For Help”—the most subdued cut on the album, directly following the most intense—once again tricks listeners who seek to define ArtClassSink by genres. This is a slow-burning monster of a song, taking up over 40 percent of the EP’s runtime, and it perfectly demonstrates what makes ArtClassSink so special. Few bands can put such a subtly moving textured track on a record with full-on indie tunes, but this band somehow pulls it off. EP closer, “Someone to Try For”, finds the energy building once more, closing the 13-minute record out in a fitting fashion, rising again after such a fall.
Combining slow, ambient shoegaze with bouncy garage rock is no easy feat, and I commend ArtClassSink for taking on such a challenge. Normally these four songs would never fit together on a complete album, but the skillful arrangements created by each of these talented musicians makes for a very entertaining listen. “ILLA” just dropped a short while ago, so if you haven’t heard it yet, what are you waiting for? It serves as a great introduction to the band, and it makes me tremendously hopeful for a full-length in the future. Just imagine how many twists and turns we could encounter in 40 minutes with ArtClassSink.
Check out “ILLA” on SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/artclasssink/sets/illa-1
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ArtClassSink
By: Max Puhala
The intro, entitled “She”, starts things off in such a way that is a bit misleading for listeners. The lone bass guitar fools us into thinking that these Oxford boys are somewhat of a minimalist vintage 60s revival band with its deceivingly simple chord progression, but as the song grows, you quickly hear ArtClassSink come to life. A guitar gradually floats its way in as the rest of the band drops out. Ambience begins to echo across the speakers, reverberating back and forth and painting an exceedingly dark, textured mood with strings and delay. Then, before you know it, the band slams into an emotionally heavy section of rising notes that are reaching for some sort of pinnacle. The repetition of rising and falling serves as a perfect introduction for everything that’s to come on “ILLA".
“Time To Go (Before the Rivalry)” is the album’s most energetic track (a rise, if you will), but vocalist Joe Biggs has a surprisingly subdued delivery to pair with the intensity. His smooth, brooding voice, which conjures up comparisons to early The Smiths’ material, builds a nice contrast between the rest of the band’s rowdy playing. After the song’s conclusion, the reasonable side of me was ready for another high-energy track, but by this point, I should have learned to expect the unexpected with ArtClassSink.
My personal favorite track, “Cry For Help”—the most subdued cut on the album, directly following the most intense—once again tricks listeners who seek to define ArtClassSink by genres. This is a slow-burning monster of a song, taking up over 40 percent of the EP’s runtime, and it perfectly demonstrates what makes ArtClassSink so special. Few bands can put such a subtly moving textured track on a record with full-on indie tunes, but this band somehow pulls it off. EP closer, “Someone to Try For”, finds the energy building once more, closing the 13-minute record out in a fitting fashion, rising again after such a fall.
Combining slow, ambient shoegaze with bouncy garage rock is no easy feat, and I commend ArtClassSink for taking on such a challenge. Normally these four songs would never fit together on a complete album, but the skillful arrangements created by each of these talented musicians makes for a very entertaining listen. “ILLA” just dropped a short while ago, so if you haven’t heard it yet, what are you waiting for? It serves as a great introduction to the band, and it makes me tremendously hopeful for a full-length in the future. Just imagine how many twists and turns we could encounter in 40 minutes with ArtClassSink.
Check out “ILLA” on SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/artclasssink/sets/illa-1
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ArtClassSink
By: Max Puhala