The music that always grabs us the most, is cut through music. Cut through music literally stops you in your tracks, it silences a room and makes your heart beat a little quicker. These moments are rare and that’s what makes them exciting. Cold Specks aka Canadian singer Al Spx successfully delivers ‘cut through music’ with the first words uttered “Rotterdam, goddamn” on her first ever single ‘Holland.’ The understated production gives the vocal space to breathe. You can almost imagine an old tape reel running in the background complete with crackle and hiss.
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Probably the least surprising part of this story, was the discovery that ‘Holland’ is being released through paradYse Records a (Transgressive Records imprint), also the home of previously featured Theme Park. Discovering Transgressive Records back in the early noughties was one of my most significant musical discoveries, it was the moment when I realised London was a truly exciting place to live. I religiously attended their club night, endlessly listened to their podcasts and was frequently swept up by a wave of new music enthusiasm by founder Toby L. Seeing Foals for the first time, still sticks in my memory. On arrival that particular night I remember asking Toby…”So tell me about this band Foals” He replied “They are the best band in the country.” He wasn’t wrong.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iakh1pX7pxg&w=640&h=360]
For fans of: Janis Joplin, PJ Harvey, Mavis Staples & Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Holland, the debut single from Cold Specks is released on October 17th
