The More, a brand new album by Danish alternative/electro-popettes Marybell Katastrophy is one I came upon quite by accident. In compiling a mixtape on songs of a catastrophic nature (of which you’ll reap the rewards in a just a few paragraphs), a spelling error and my insatiable curiosity opened my ears to these twelve delectably interesting tracks.
I can’t really find too much info on this band. The More is Marybell Katastrophy’s first “real” album (in their own words!). They’ve released a couple of EPs, there’s three of them in the band and one bio I read described them as “The Bangles on acid, or Kate Bush turned upside down”. Cue Katie Dazzle’s intrigue.
It’s fairly loud and fuzzy stuff in parts, and I’m not normally into super noisy music. But something about the plentiful, yet subtle layers, fuelled by moody melodies, reveal each song to be a lovely part that makes up this really quite visceral and intimate whole of an album. The lead vocal is sometimes Kate Bush (upside down) for sure, with a pinch of The Knife’s Karin Dreijer and a sprinkling of Bjork to round my comparisons out.
Favourite tracks for me are definitely Whiteboard, which features this catchy loop of a frog croaking, dog barking and duck quacking in the very background that you really have to concentrate on to make sure you’re not ear hallucinating.
After that we’ve got the radio-friendly Hidden Agenda with it’s jingly and forceful chorus that follows on from richly layered verses. Rounding out my top three, Hip is all jagged and stilted piano chords coupled with tin kettle boiling sounding whistles, a wooden spoon being beaten on saucepans type percussion, and super heavy on the fuzz choruses. Like I said, this album intrigued me from start to finish and holds my attention all the way through, more and more every time I give it a down and dirty spin. Two serendipitous thumbs up.
As I implied at the beginning of the column, this week’s mini mix is three of my most favourite catastrophe songs. Whether it’s something soothing I listen to in a dire situation or literally music bombs exploding in my ears, here’s three tracks to tide you over until next week. Dazzle out x
Freeze & Explode – Cassettes Won’t Listen
Well this one could go either way, couldn’t it? Funnily enough, this is one of the soother’s. For when there’s nothing else left to do but sit back, spread your hands wide and shrug your shoulders high.
[youtube aUhhCc3biDM]
Dear Catastrophe Waitress – Belle & Sebastian
Because no matter how ratshit my day has been, this song always makes me feel better. Obviously this was written about someone having one of those terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad days, and it’s nice to know you’re not alone. Also the little clip that goes with it puts a stick figure, faber castell texta smile back on my face.
[youtube hxjyB3gZNcU]
Sleep – Azure Ray
This is definitely not a soother, in another ironically titled choice. If I’m in the appropriately catastrophic mood when I listen to this, tears literally spill out of my red rimmed eyes. It’s always needed and cathartic though.
[youtube wV6SyAuSxns]
