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The Veils enlist El-P on the delicately spun Total Depravity

"Total Depravity"

Release date: 26 August 2016
7.5/10
The Veils Total Depravity
25 August 2016, 10:15 Written by Nathan Westley
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Co-produced by EL-P of Run The Jewels and the band's singer Finn Andrews, The Veils' second album Total Depravity is a coming together of two separate artistic aesthetics.

Any hunches that this record may have a slight hip-hop leaning or desire to venture out towards a more electronic, beat orientated future may further be fuelled by opener “Axolotl”, wherein classic songcraft is aided by a healthy serving of synthetic sounds. It's a path the album continues to snake down - the follow-up to 2013’s Time Stays, We Go shares the same harnessed, traditional artistic spirit and focused songcraft, but is aided by benevolent technology in order to push forward into new territories.

The album's title may hint at overboard debauchery, but it's one that rather confidently strides forward with a knowing and twinkle-eyed confidence. Lyricist Andrews has a way with words that at times approaches the same level of prowess found on many a Nick Cave record, particularly on the narrative-driven “King Of Chrome”, where a pulsating synth driven undercurrent forms the bedding for a richly dark, night time opus. But there’s also much in common with Jack White’s solo work; the guitar chops of “Low Lays The Devil”, for instance, wouldn’t sound out of place on Lazaretto.

The Veils are specialists in a songcraft where the traditional is aided by the current in order to explore new sonic realms. The album, which took nearly two years to take shape, is delicately spun rather than cobbled togher, and makes for treasured listening.

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