Stockholm group Promise and The Monster channel sixties verve with an eighties gothic twist
The latest addition to the always impressive Bella Union (Father John Misty, Beach House, John Grant) roster comes in the shape of neo-gothic Stockholm group Promise and The Monster - the nom de plume of one Billie Lindahl.
A hypnotic affair, "Time Of The Season" (a nod to The Zombies' classic of the same name) is an insular glance at the darker side of relationships. "It's about falling for the same kind of bad people, over and over, and over again", Lindahl explains. Indeed, that repetitiveness of failed love is reflected in the backbone of the song - galloping drums and a circular bass groove sit deep in the mix, locking into the senses allowing the mind to focus on Lindahl's sweet, enchanting melody.
There's a deep respect and acknowledgment for classic songcraft also at play here. “We aimed at combining the elegance of old sixties recordings with something darker and more mechanical,” Lindahl recalls. “Like you would play a Lee Hazlewood song on top of Nico’s late eighties records.” She continues, "when we recorded (Time Of The Season) we talked about making it sound like ABBA if they where an early 80's goth band... and I think we came quite close."
The album Feed The Fire (her third outing as Promise and The Monster) is released through Bella Union on 22 January. Listen to "Time Of The Season" below.
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