Perhaps it isn’t so obvious that members of noise-rock, industrial, or powerviolence bands may come together to create something as pretty as, EP II. However, this very thing has happened; with Sylvia’s latest offering, the Melbourne based dream-pop band combines experience and influence to create something truly unique.
Some of the greats have truly disparate musical influences: think Florence + The Machine’s first record, Lungs, quoted to have been heavily influenced by early Madonna; or Aphex Twin, according to Apple Music’s ‘Inspired by’ playlist, was influenced by the modernist composer, Harry Partch. It’s these combinations, when put through a band’s lens, create truly original work. The Melbourne based, Sylvia are an example of this. Where members have previously worked on arguably heavier projects in the past, it is oddly fitting that their output together should sound like this. ‘Still Here’ is a wonderfully noisy pop song, with guitar lines that jump around over distorted bass and barely discernible vocals. ‘Recompose’ is in a similar design, with even more distorted guitars and splashy drums, a dream-state is achieved through it’s heavy wall of noise. Highlight of EP II, is ‘No Forever’, a track that sounds like the space between DIIV’s, ‘Blankenship’, and my bloody valentine’s, ‘(When You Wake) You’re Still in a Dream’. It’s nice and crunchy, with an ample amount of dreamy vocals and groovy basslines.
‘Found and Lost’ finishes the EP, a song that sounds like an alternative universe in which shoegaze legends, Ride, scored the epilogue of a 90’s teen movie. It’s a testament to the band’s obvious indebtedness to their life, not only as artists in their own right, but as music fans first-and-foremost. After a steady stream of releases over the last couple years, I for one am very excited to see what the future holds for, Sylvia. If their current output is anything to go by, it is a future that is very bright.
Written by Callum Foulds