Something simply stumbled upon, compelling you to stop everything and just be, just listen, just settle. Nox Vale are a French band capturing a calming and unusual sound – a kind of colourful, not quite familiar sense of dreamy wonder. Paired vocals and something like complexity and minimalism walk hand-in-hand, as the wonderful Parallel Drift delivers a dose of pure artistic wonder.
Structurally unpredictable yet satisfying, Parallel Drift is a pleasure to let fill the room. As mentioned to the band, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why I love this – it’s something like Bjork meets Morcheeba, only not. The opening riff, the instrumental choices, the progression, the vocal harmonies and the concept. The song takes us back to the triphop acoustic vibes of the 2000s, but with a fresh sense of purpose, structure, and identity at the forefront.
At close to six minutes, the entire arrangement is independent alternative, and the latter half takes us through a new and exciting cinematic ambience and mood; even turning suddenly distorted and metal-like in the end. You have to hear it to understand. Just press play and stay present.
