Culture

Sonorous Circle
4/5

I had listened to the first track from Wellington duo Glass Vaults’ (Richard Larsen and Rowan Pierce) debut EP a number of times in the past few weeks, for no apparent reason, but I had yet to progress onto the rest of the album. My loss.
The opening track 'They will grow' layers synth, guitar, and reverb heavy vocals creating an expansive sonic landscape, which inevitably sets the groundwork for an engrossing sonic journey.
However, the first track also undersells the duo's ability as ‘Set Sail’ illustrates what they’re really capable of. Larsen’s vocals, both sentimental and haunting, bring a welcomed pop sensibility to the duo, while never weighing down the spacious ambiance that ‘They will grow’ establishes. Four minutes in and we get our first taste of percussion as thunderous drums resonate through the soundscape, leaving you desperate for more.
The rest of the album puts percussion in centre-stage, with the third track 'New space' featuring a uplifting tribal stomp, while the track 'Worrier' utilises percussion more sparingly to develop an uneasy intensity as Larsen pleads "please don't go." As the album comes to a sombre but powerful end in 'Forget me not’ Larsen mournfully admits "I know its over ... I hope you are happy alone," accompanied only by a single drumbeat and an unsettling bed of synth.
I implore you to not make the same mistake I did. Glass Vaults don’t give away all their tricks at once. Immerse yourself in this stunningly crafted album. It’s free to download at glassvaults.bandcamp.com