Single Review: Beneath the Visible Surface

Astro Children

Review by butch181 // 30 March 2018
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Single Review: Beneath The Visible Surface 1

The latest single from Astro Children is a departure from their usual sound, with the addition of Jonathan Pearce on the synth. A step deeper into the indie sub-genre of shoegaze, Beneath the Visible Surface exhibits the elements of dreamy, psychedelic space pop. Beginning with muffles, the track transitions to a high clarity chiming, reverbed guitar from vocalist Millie Lovelock, not dissimilar to the opening riff of Dolores O’Riordan hit with The Cranberries, Zombie.

The tune has a slow undulating tempo and a soothing vocal melody that tracks at the same speed; each syllable coinciding with a downstroke of the guitar, and vocal volume peaking in time with the heavy strum of the guitar sequence. The thick pulsating cadence of the track with the additional synth comes across as a musical recreation of a heartbeat, confident and relaxed.

A smooth flow with gentle crescendos into the chorus, Isaac Hickey displays great balance in both restraint and artistic flair, with tom-focused verses and bringing snare into the choruses, he creates variety in their sound alongside the synths to contrast the otherwise repetitive chime of the guitar.

Heavy with effects, Beneath the Visible Surface is a tranquil piece that still exhibits a youthful exuberance, with chilling vocal harmonies, displaying the variability and dynamics of their songwriting capabilities.

Review written by Alex Moulton

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About the author butch181

Hey there! I’m Alex. Long time music lover, long time reviewer, and now I finally get to combine those and be a music reviewer! As a guitarist, pianist, and vocalist, I have a great appreciation for musicianship and the technicalities that go along with a group of people making music together. My genres of preference tend to gravitate towards Punk/Rock/Heavy/Metal, but I also like to dabble in some Classical, Pop, and even some Drum and Bass. Hope you enjoy my contributions!

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