Intriguingly, this track kicks off sounding like what the Human League may have become if they were playing with real drum sounds rather than plying their synth trade! Very reminiscent of Seconds or The Things That Dreams Are Made Of from Dare. As soon as the guitars and vocals arrive, we morph into something more contemporary.
Real bass compliments synth bass, sixteenths skitter away on the hi-hats, and a melody of confidently-held long notes allow Iggy Mayerov to wrap her vocal chords around it all, injecting colour and character in contrast to the programmed-instrument feel.
A game of two halves; of real and sequenced instrumentation, Silence is anything but, and an interesting journey, seemingly going through mood swings to tell its story, and definitely building to an epic conclusion, all swooping portamento and suspended melody and harmony.
Dreamy, floaty guitar voices remind me of Billy Duffy’s work with The Cult (She Sells Sanctuary). The track buzzes and pulses with syncopated sequences, the odd deliberate dissonant suspension on the vocals catching the ear – which are also working hard with backing voices to add texture and colour. The vocals appear to be mixed relatively quietly, which was certainly fashionable in the 80s, too, but the last word goes to the sound of the guitar amp fading out.
There is a certain cool to Iggy Mayerov’s vocals (which are a little similar to Ladyhawke at times, but without being over-produced) and she seems in control of her image and her delivery here. Silence is intricate and complex, and I’ll be looking for future output with genuine interest.
Download or stream the music here. Find & follow Iggy Mayerov on Facebook.
