Album Reviews
Irish Artists
CARRIED BY WAVES Softly Held Together “Softly Held Together” is the debut album from Cork experimental electronica act Carried By Waves. The fusion of various influences and genres is felt through on each single track and in equal measure so too is their experimental approach. “For The Absent” delves into the electro quite lavishly. There are also string arrangements that that make their presence felt in the background on the sound while the synth based aspects flourish. It is a very interesting collage of sound that gets things off to a very fine start. “Stranger Talk” is the next track that rings out off the back of a chime that is strikingly well composed. The rest of the arrangement is formed around this and it pumps in a rhythm that focuses the tempo quite well, which leaves a very good impression overall because what is engineered here has a great deal going for it. “Growing Up Together/We Go Together” is something that is very intuitive in how it sounds. It very much plays with the catchier elements of their sound and it has the real makings of something from the opening alone. It has a decadent feel to how it sounds when it does get into its stride that really soothes and suits everything that goes on the track in terms of playing and sound.
that leads to a steady rhythm coursing through it from the off. The retro elements are enhanced by the sharpness of the synth. These things all come together to realise something that is majestic and very deserving of the praise here. “Thoughts That Count” holds quite well from how it opens. There is a fondness that seems to come off the bright way that it begins. It then moves along very spiritedly and it collects as it gathers. That is what keeps everything that is on show here very tidy.
“Sleepless” is well orchestrated in terms of how it builds up and is spaced out. Things that are added to the sound or drop out do so appropriately and how they are substituted into the mix works extremely well. That is what drives the sound on this one forward while also showcasing musical ability. There is however something more ethereal about next song on the album “Parting Speech”. The music side of things heralds in everything and it glides along on a pristine sound of evenly tempered beats that when applied don’t drop the ball. On account of this it bounces along neatly and the lavish side of the play sets in and sees it home. With “Lights/Climbing Trees” takes hold of the pace side of things and fires it up. The elements on show here formulate rather well and
“Aviatophobia/Carried in Your Palm” is something that sounds distinctly different to all the other tracks here. It is marked out by an acoustic guitar that takes pride of place as it is strummed along. It also marks a simple sounding tune out and when the other elements come in around this it all pieces together. Next is “Expecting a Killer”. A tune that brings a more mellow feel to the playing side, with a fuller bass sound complimented by little electro riffs that are nicely scattered about on here. “Together Refrain” is the last track on the album and it short and to the point. It is something that brings the album to a close while also giving a sense that for the band everything musically from them has gone full circle. It is a track of substance even though it is brief, and it rounds the album off handsomely.
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