By Lauren Paddison, First year Music
'An example of beautifully executed musical poetry', Lauren Paddison reviews the latest EP from Five Fathoms Deep
Five Fathoms deep are a new alternative folk band. The internet has yet to discover the ins and outs of these up and coming musicians, and with a huge and changing line up it could be hard for the listeners to latch on to a name or face, but their sound is very original and memorable. Their EP Monkwood was released on Friday.
Their first song, ‘Midas’ has almost medieval qualities with its ritual drum emphasis which evolves intro an incredibly smooth percussion build. Rich female harmonies coupled with an array of stringed instruments firmly establish them in the folk genre, yet their innovative lyrics and melody suggest something bigger again.
The second track, ‘Mowgli’ has a more relaxed feel and pace, emphasising melody more than anything, which is often longing and thoughtful- this is echoed in the lyrics which detail the ‘eyes of another you will never embrace’. The song evolves and builds into a frenzied chorus with the whole band giving their all; a performance I envy to see live.
Song number three diverts temporarily away from its easy running melodies and adopts an uneasy progression of longing intervals and contemplative lyrics. The idea of being held by ‘Midnight’ is a beautiful metaphor which is illustrated so accurately in the music. Five Fathoms Deep were able to take this moment in time and liken it to a closest friend, and something to be held by- an example of beautifully executed musical poetry.
The finale of the EP is by far the most adventurous: from the start, energy and volume is evident in all voices. The lyrics of ‘Sol’ mix divine matter with the "ways of the world" in a contemplative attempt to understand the paradoxes of creation. Where voices and melodies overlap, the listener is invited to contribute their own voice to the extended chorus which ends the album.
Although the set up has changed little throughout the whole EP, Five Fathoms Deep have managed to create a whole new sound world in each track- which is not an easy task. The most notable feature has been the relationship between the lyrics and the music, each sounding as if they had been composed for each other. As ‘MONKWOOD’ surely evidences, ‘Five Fathoms Deep are telling their stories, and audiences are listening…’
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