A young up and coming journalist caught our eye this month with her attention to detail and her recent efforts with Disorder mag. Enter Charlotte Crooks:
Bat for Lashes
Two Suns
Release Date: 6th April 2009
Natasha Khan’s vocals pierce and fill the air with an invisible mist creating a dream-like world to get lost in. Following on from her debut album, Fur and Gold in 2006, Bat For Lashes releases her second titled Two Suns. More sophisticated and grown up, this album shows the world that Khan is not just a one trick pony. Her whimsical, quirky style and poetic lyrics encapsulate a somewhat cryptic personal life, in her fairytale world.
Written and recorded around the world, this album is a mixing pot of cultural and instrumental influences. From the tribal percussion beating throughout the opening track, Glass, to the Eastern strings of the Veena, contrasting well with the gospel choir in Peace of Mind.
Glass lures us into Khan’s strange and beautiful world with a spine tingling introduction. Her haunting yet velvety vocals float through the ears until the explosion of tribal percussion and bells adds a strong, penetrating beat and sets the tone for the rest of the album.
Her song writing is affected by experiences in her life, even if the meaning behind some of her lyrics is extremely cryptic. Ideas of emptiness and loneliness whilst travelling and the strain of the entertainment industry are all apparent in Sleep Alone. Khan’s thought provoking chorus, “the dream of love is a two hearted dream” is a testament to how life through the eyes of the media can be difficult, with the struggle to keep up appearances and relationships evident.
Floating on the outskirts of mainstream, Bat for Lashes is gradually managing to break through to a new audience but still manages to keep her head well above the pop infested waters. Her honesty and musical ability shows throughout this album and when picked apart, her use of synthesised beats creates a hard hitting yet relaxing melody with many surprising twists.
The first single, Daniel, sets the standard for the rest of the tracks. Its gothic-electro style, Kate Bush-like lyrics and Khan’s seductive voice, creates a classy, radio friendly, electro pop tune, guaranteed to win over any cynics.
Khan is not afraid to voice her emotions. Moon and Moon is a powerfully raw and honest account of a broken relationship and the need to have more control over events. Whether or not this is a reference to her ex boyfriend, Will Lemon, lead singer of Brooklyn based band Moon and Moon, it is still an emotionally open and heart-rending song.
Other highlights include Pearl’s Dream, Khan’s alter ego, created to show her more wild side and the warrior rhythms of Two Planets. The album is then beautifully finished with a haunting duet, The Big Sleep, featuring a rare appearance from Scott Walker. The faded piano throughout is reminiscent of a silent movie with both Walker’s deep, and Khan’s soft yet wailing vocals sitting comfortably together.
This album is a must have for fans of Kate Bush, Annie Lennox and Bjork, a beautiful, intoxicating and stand out record from one of Britain’s hidden treasures.
Value for $ : 8/10
You can find it: itunes / music stores
Perfect to: Chil to, and to escape reality
Charlotte Crooks
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