The Sleepless – Noise Of Life EP
The Sleepless describe their songs as being “about the dusty corners of life, the longings, the disappointments and the spark that keeps you going”. This makes the London duo ideal for this site because I do tend to be drawn to melancholia with a smidgen of euphoria on the side. Sure enough, ‘Noise Of Life’ lives up to its promise.
The song titles tell you all you need to know about the messages Ronan O’Hanlon and Martin Carroll are delivering. Thanks to its dense, murky framework of doomy yet melodic guitars, ‘If There’s Love In mY Heart I Can’t Find It’ recalls the often overlooked Breathless and even if Carroll isn’t such a distinctive presence as that group’s Dominic Appleton , he certainly conveys the same air of desperation. ‘This Life’ follows a similar downward emotional trajectory, albeit slightly less riveting. Then comes ‘I Feel A Darkness Coming On’ which has a disarmingly pretty guitar line and a summery hook for the chorus. They show even more class with the instrumental finale ‘Destined For Heaven’; a classy post-rock detour based around crisp percussion and a strong sense of space.
‘Noise Of Life’ is a superb start for this new act that left me thirsting to hear more from the band. Their music is mysterious, eerie and dark yet always tuneful enough to draw the listener in again and again.
For more from Jon, please visit Leonard’s Lair