I am quite ruthless in my search through new indie tracks. I always look for a certain sound, a certain “je-ne-sais-quoi”. That doesn’t mean that the submissions I get are bad, or that the tracks posted on the myriad of new indie hubs are shite. In the end, everybody tries to pour their own little cocktail in the indie punch bowl. And there is so much of it these days. Literally everybody is in a band (guilty)! I guess it is a good sign when people are being creative and not shooting people, or collecting a bank bonus, but it makes you think sometimes: at the cradle of our civilisation….. didn’t there used to be only one bard in the village? The one with the true calling and skills or musical heritage? I mean, c’mon, in this day and age everyone can make a tune, but what is the use of endless Mac de Marco clones?
But luckily, during my merciless scans, there’s always some gem to be excavated: some musicians making music. Pouring their heart and soul into a song, having a vision, conveying something genuine… The Day came, and there was The Day: two people, Laura Loeters from Holland and German Gregor Sonnenberg who met at at ArtEZ School of Music in Arnhem. They know what they’re doing and have been doing it for a while now, despite the distance on a musical as well as a geographical level. It just works.
Their latest single/video “Leave the Dark” is a moment of reflection in an inner turmoil that culminates in a swirl of beautiful noise at the end of it. The anatomy of the song is simply perfect: a verse that pulls between impatient skips and composed vocals, creating a tension leading up that moment of anticipation in which, what follows, can make or break a song. And then the tension is released, and the darkness is illuminated by this diaphanous reverie of a chorus that is drenched in beliefs and hopes…. until Laura’s foot hits the “Big Muff” pedal…. and all is absolved…
The Day has recently signed with Berlin-based indie label Sinnbus and we expect loads more music from this collaboration in 2018. At the end of the year, a first full-length album release can be expected. I hope they continue on this track…travelling to and fro…
