To my great joy and personal delectation, extraordinary Glasgow based quartet Sacred Noise have finally released their long awaited debut EP, cunningly titled EP1. Regular visitors to The Ginger Quiff blog will know that I hold the band in high regard having pretty much followed them since their inception, and had the pleasure in watching them grow both musically and in confidence having now seen them live countless times since their first gig back in March 2022.
Already with a string of quality singles behind them, in the shape of Taste in Men and Part of Me, alongside Radar and Silhouette (which both appear on EP1), the band, who have all honed their skills in other guises across the Glasgow scene, have cemented their place as one of the cities hot musical properties with the six stunning tracks on this superb self produced EP.
The EP opens in style with the fractious single “Radar”, Anna’s strident and urgent riffing channelling Kirstin’s frustration as she spits out her vocal with venom “when did I fall off your radar”.
The raucous rowdiness of the opening track gives way to two of the most emotionally touching and personal tracks on the EP. Those who were at the band’s recent show in The Old Hairdressers will know how spinetingling the track “skin”, a haunting soundtrack underpinning an affecting spoken word vocal from Anna, metaphorically laying herself bare, it was a raw and powerful introduction to the band’s live set. If you weren’t already on edge, Kirsten picks up the baton, delivering an intense emotionally charged punch to the guts in the form of the fragile beauty of “Silhouette”. If that didn’t hit you in the feels, then you are surely soulless? Instrumental “cwtch” (a cuddle or hug) carries just as much emotion in it’s plaintive and distorted delivery, a visceral energy coming from the music as it wraps itself around you.
The final song on the EP is one of my live favourites, the epic “Home”, which is is preceded by its intro “On Our Way…” is a song which to me, takes me to Jane’s Addiction territory, but is very much a Sacred Noise song, the four members of the band gelling as one as the song builds to its powerful zenith, Anna’s guitar joins with Robbie and Sam’s supreme rhythm section which swells and builds, with Kirsten’s compellingly dynamic vocal cresting the waves of sound as they crash satisfyingly & comfortingly over you.
Well worth the wait. Roll on EP2 – I’m hoping for a Baby Doll appearance…
SACRED NOISE (thesacrednoise.com)
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