Pale Honey
Pale Honey
Instant Records
Like a whisper in the dark, or the intoxicating sweet smell of warm skin, Pale Honey’s sound is effortlessly sensual. The Swedish pair, Tuva Lodmark and Nelly Daltrey, conjure up a complex landscape with minimalist colors. Spare but seductive drums, fuzz-filled guitar, and Lodmark’ sultry vocals make up the core of the group’s self titled debut release, but there are electronic elements – and sometimes even a cowbell (“Fiction”)– sewn into the mix that make “Fish,” “Lonesome” and “Youth” feel less like straight forward songs and more like mind altering experiences.
There are moments when they push these electronic experiments too far, as when laser gun sound effects overblow the otherwise heated track “Tease,” but these oversteps can be excused because at least they’re taking chances. The splash and bash of indie rock banging its head against the dance music isn’t always going to gel, Pale Honey manage to make it work about 90% of the time.
They drink from the same well as Beach House, take chances with composition like PJ Harvey, and wield an aura with the skill of Florence Welch, making this one damn fine debut.
