Album Review

Cantaloupe – Zoetrope

• 16th Mar 2015

After releasing their debut EP ‘Teapot’, Nottingham four-piece Cantaloupe have today released their debut album which goes by the strange yet lovable name of ‘Zoetrope’.

The name may be of an obscure nature (a zoetrope is a 19th century optical toy which when rotated as you look through it gives the illusion of continuous motion) but the reason why this monicker is important, and why we went to the effort of finding out the definition, is because after listening to ‘Zoetrope’ you are given the exact same impression, at least in terms of sounds.

Cantaloupe succeed in pinning down the erratic nature of their synths whilst having something different to offer in terms of vocals. Like a young Debbie Harry, occasional vocalist Eleanor Lee is on hand to steer a song back on course when it would seem something was missing and before long it’s sounding exactly as you would imagine it should.

Aside from the occasional vocal lines, their four minute long instrumental jams take the album on a trip beyond psychedelia, without stopping anywhere to check in with the modern-techno lot to ask for petrol money. On the way back the band try their hand at something a lot more groove driven and create something that could be likened heavily to an early Phoenix record, whilst having a tight grip on the underlying influences of The Human League.

Zoetrope is a great effort from the dreamy synth pop outfit, though it didn’t grab our attention on first listen. It did, however, whet our appetite and had us coming back for more on each listen.

– Sam Meaghan

Venue: Zoetrope
Support Band: Hello Thor Records