Azoora ft graciellita - Apart EP

Hear The Track Here

Last track out of the review bag this month is a special treat for regular readers so you new guys stop chattering and gawping around and I'll tell you why this is a special treat. A few years ago, I was tipping two bands for much greater things. One bit the dust (the late, much missed Can't Stop The Daggers) the other was Azoora. These bands were musical soulmates almost, same kind of professional vibe; one in the US, one in the UK. Azoora signed to an excellent netlabel (23seconds) and have done some great EPs with them over the years. So, true to form, here is their new EP, this time collaborating with graciellita about whom I know nothing.

The last time I heard from Azoora was with the Instrumentals EP (March 2011) which, to be honest, I couldn't in all honesty count as an actual 'proper' release because these were not songs, one of Azoora's main strengths. Not to denigrate their musical side, they have some very substantial chops in that department but their songs are what keeps me interested and you should listen to Motionless (track one) to see why. With echoes of the greats (The Who, Kate Bush and a million others in this one) Azoora have always been a band with their roots dug deep and it shows in the calibre of their performance, production and overall can-do attitude. So if Motionless grabs you, the rest of this five track EP will definitely fill that space between your ears.

I did a bit more research on graciellita and discovered her You Tube channel because she has a very quirky, individual style that I certainly appreciate but I do understand it is a personal taste thing. Face it, if you sound a bit like Kate Bush, there can't be much wrong with what you are doing. Put that together with the clever, incredibly complex melodies and arrangements that Azoora are justly famed for and you have some of the best alternative/experimental music around. Musically, it's a lot more intense than normal Azoora work but that's a good thing too, a bit of a change but still, it has that Azoora vibe about each track and that'll do it for me. Biased? Well, of course I am, Ever since I met Azoora some years ago I have expected them to really do the business and it's nice to see them (and 23seconds) still plugging away in there.

Excellent alternative/experimental songs. MUST HAVE for fans.