The first thing that strikes you about Lowlakes initially is not the tasteful union of ambient mood-setting with shimmering guitar rock, but frontman Thomas Snowdon’s impressive vocals. Hovering between a smoky baritone and a gilded falsetto, he possesses an emotive splendour that rings with depth and clarity.
Floating over the gently building “Song For Motion,” his curled phrasing and gentle vibrato recall Antony “& The Johnsons” Hegarty, while on “Catch The Breeze” he sounds like the lost member of Wild Beasts, his huskier grain buoyed by a smooth metronomic pacing.
The glacial backing is just as impressive, a combination of pianos and guitars used for angelic atmospherics with an understated but essential rhythmic undertow. “Buffalo” in particular, rides a glossy backbeat while decorative vocal hooks and some ardent trumpet glide through gentle structural shifts. The calm rumble of “Arctic House” brings the EP to a suitably wintry finish, leaving the lasting impression of a band well worth keeping tabs on.
– Al Newstead
