Album Review

Kyte – Dead Waves

8th Mar 2010

A coasting and, at times, relaxingly cruising hybrid of Snow Patrol and Zero 7 with a few genetically implanted musical genes of Sigur Ros hurled in for good measure. Is the lasting impression left by Kyte after the first few listens to this earnest twelve track debut full length.

For the purists, further analysis of this Nick Moon led troupe, allows you to discover the fact that they take an early opportunity to prelude their melodious streak with some seeping ambience and generally manage to get the balance right, ‘The Smoke Saves Lives’. It makes Moon’s earnest and authoritative narrative that bit more striking.

Epic tendencies are intricately built in through weeping guitars and a seeping key element, ‘ihnfsa’ and they sometimes swerve towards múm and Four Tet territory. Slightly spacey implants adds to the variety on display and Moon’s mild Bowie leanings come to the fore in the meditative melt, ‘Designed For Damage’. The increasing robustness of the percussion drive becomes noticeable, as the album progresses. It allows for a manlier vocal slant, helping to draw out the poetic intensity of some of the lyrics.

‘Each Life Critical’, shows a trickling nourish leaning, before branching out into a digitally soulful direction. The tune is toed along by hushed vocals, instilling a calming and relaxed touch. This is juxtaposed by the soaring, disco kicking ‘No-One Is Angry, Just Afraid’. It then morphs into a deeply searching ambient epic. With the latter impact seeping into ‘Fake Handshakes, Earnest Smiles’ to make for a poignant build up to a laid back soul dabbling, electro pop conjoining, almost meditative stroll.

Kyte seems to effortlessly show that they can do a broad range from disco-pop and indie to mood climbing ambience, as well as most things in-between. It all provides for a debut album that has something for nearly everyone.