photography-by-adam-kennedy
It is fair to say that their quartet of previous EPs have established Kobadelta as one of the most intriguing and captivating prospects to emerge on the British music scene in recent years and also that listening to the evolution of their seriously tantalising sound has captivated almost as much as the noise itself. October sees the release of the Newcastle bred outfit’s new encounter and another growth in songwriting, music, and temptation.
Their five-track EP, The Metaphysical, sees the band’s psych rock spiced sound reveal its richest and most adventurous landscape yet with an even greater weave of textures and flavours. Melodies are imposing, harmonies bewitching yet both offering magnetic warmth which shimmers and radiates against the instinctive dark tones and emotive shadows which breed the band’s songs. It is a tapestry which lays the Kobadelta sound somewhere between Echo and The Bunnymen and The Doors with an almost gothic Nick Cave essence for extra flavouring.
Formed in 2010, the quintet soon built a potent live reputation locally, nudging on wider recognition with the release of debut EP Ritual (Time Flies) three years later. 2014 saw the band make bigger strides towards national awareness and in sound through both the Hidden Door and Remain Distracted EPs, their success subsequently eclipsed by the Open Visions EP last year. It was a dark and compelling encounter pushing the band’s sound to another level which now The Metaphysical cements and takes on again while still showing the potential of even more adventures to be discovered and explored within the band. With shows alongside the likes of Temples, Allusondrugs, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Demob Happy, Splashh, The Temperance Movement, The Weeks, Lola Colt, and The Voyeurs among many more, and those aforementioned releases, sparking a real appetite for the band’s sound, The Metaphysical might just be the moment Kobadelta hits the broadest spotlights.
The EP swiftly captures ears and imagination with opener Hold Yr’self, the track seducing initially with the caress of suggested pipes before the song tumbles into view with tangy grooves and swinging rhythms. There is no escaping The Doors scenting to any of the band’s song, though Ian McCulloch and co are probably a stronger spicing to what soon shows itself to be distinctly Kobadelta. With the synths of Jordan Robson dancing around the magnetic melodic weave cast by guitarist Alex Malliris, the imagination is soon hooked, gripped tighter as the potent vocals of Dom Noble bring a darker edge in collusion with the rapier swings of drummer Jon Marley and Chris Malliris’ brooding basslines.
It is a compelling start matched by the infectious stroll of the similarly shadow rich and sonically fiery Ride By The Light. Mixing mellower seducing with those dynamic flames of sound and energy, the song is a whirlpool of adventure and drama. There are moments which remind of early but again as keys wrap the predacious tone of the bass in just one of the track’s major attractions, Kobadelta unveil something unique to themselves.
Bathsheba raises the energy and sultriness of the band’s sound next; its raw mystique and fuzzy climate a feisty wrapping to the tenacious rhythms driving yet another irresistible proposal from the EP. As lyrics and vocals tell a story so does the music, both colluding in a spirit rousing incitement which seems to become darker and more volatile with every enjoyable listen; a potency emulated in the following Is This The Start Of Something Beautiful? and its ferine adventure. So easy to get physically and mentally sucked into its suggestive kaleidoscope of sound, the song trespasses and transfixes the senses as each band member unleashes their fiery enterprise.
Bringing the EP to a magnificent close is You Don’t Need To Ask…, a slow prowl of a headily dark song which borders on demonic even with its theatre of catchy charm, spellbinding melodies, and predacious rhythms. There is a definite occult rock air to the track and its dark romance with the minimal but powerful presence of piano icing on another mighty and increasingly tempestuous highlight of the release.
There are a few bands which have emerged in recent years for which it is hard not to find a touch of real excitement to go along with anticipation upon word of a new proposition from them. The Metaphysical is the perfect example as to why Kobadelta is firmly one of them.
The Metaphysical EP is released in October with its launch show on Friday 4th November in Newcastle at Think Tank – Underground with support from local bands Hazels and FOTO.
https://www.facebook.com/Kobadelta
Pete RingMaster 28/09/2016
For us it took barely a handful of seconds to be enthralled to Avalanche, the song winding a juicy flirtatious guitar groove around ears, it almost instantly joined by the bulging muscle of commanding and enticing beats. Another breath sees further guitar shimmering seducing the senses and a rumbling dark bassline whipping up the emotions. Fair to say already every aspect of the song comes with an addictive virulence which only grows and intensifies over time. The garage rock stomping spawned by riffs and rhythms alone just dangles impossible not to take a bite at bait in the lure of the song, that incessant tempting leading to a host of keen and imposingly gripping hooks, juicy grooves, and the great effect wrapped vocals of guitarist Phill Houghton.
Influences to Cave Mouth (or CaveMouth, both used by band and all) come from the likes of Prince, ESG, Busta Rhymes, Leadbelly, Jack White, Queens Of The Stone Age, and Jethro Tull, with lyrical inspirations found in the world around the band from politics and religion to nature, and we would suggest the darkest delights to be found anywhere. There are so many potent attributes to the almost primal air and spellbinding invention of the band’s sound, from the bewitching dual vocal union of guitarist Sketchy Lex and bassist Ms. Mo to the primal rhythms stomped down by she and drummer Wreckless Richie, and equally the psyche twisting web of salacious coaxing cast by the flaming saxophone of Mr. Duncan ‘The Hook’ Hook and Lex’s guitar, everything smoulders with temptation. Deep Water is the darkest and most thrilling proposal from the band to date, but one in a line of simply spellbinding traps laid by the band’s mix of blues, funk, and African music infused adventures which includes last year’s excellent Pagan Blues EP.
Even The Odds (They Mean You No Harm) is the first track on the release and immediately brings a raw and fiery proposition to bear on ears and thoughts. Guitars and rhythms make a formidable invitation which is easily accepted, even more so when an underlying melodic lure is given clarity as the initial tempest relaxes and the expressive tones of Dom Noble come in. There is still a muggy air to the song, and a siren-esque shadowing to the track which with the exotic enterprise arising from the guitar of Alex Malliris and the keys of Jordan Robson, entices like The Doors meets The Birthday Party. The song continues to immerse and swallow the senses with its sultry almost erosive beauty, increasing its glamour as it heads towards the moment it slips seamlessly into the following Blame It All On Me.
cavernous yet thick texture and breath of the smouldering intensity building within the track. There are similarities to fellow Geordie blues rockers Kobadelta in the song, the exploration of rich shadows and imposing drama an immersive incitement which with the sizzling sonic roar around them only engrosses and thrills.
a treat all the same; its steady but feisty canter evolving through a sultry slow flight of immersive keys before breaking back with increasing tenacity in energy and attack. The Birthday Party like song is an intriguing shadow blessed proposition, not as dramatically gripping as its predecessor but growing into another absorbing and incendiary involvement of the imagination and emotions.