Moscow
Pack Animals
March 8 2014 (Clandestine Records)
7/10
Words: Leanne Crowley
Moscow, who hail from Stoke-on-Trent, have released their EP whilst still managing to remain shrouded in mystery. Formed in 2012 they have gone from strength to strength and this four-track offering exhibits their skills to fine effect.
Opener and title track ‘Pack Animals' starts with a plucked guitar effect before breaking into strong, loud guitars which are swiftly followed by moody vocals. The bass is merely a background player in this track, but where this lacks the drums make up for it with their ever present rhythm. The chorus offers a change of key and tone and the track speeds toward the end with the vocals shouted out to the listener.
‘Out of Time' offers a strong guitar and bass opening; the fast-paced lyrics lure and enchant, whilst the drums continue to set the tempo. This track offers indie rock at its finest and it is not difficult to visualise large crowds bobbing their heads and jumping along to this in the near future.
‘Killing Hope' has a lengthier start than its predecessors and is reminiscent of that which made Hard-Fi so popular. There are also hints of Maximo Park here, but yet there is an overall darker feel to the track. This is the strongest track on the EP, with its more harmonic vocals and slowing of tempo to give way to the drum and bass duet in the middle which has an almost eastern feel to it. The track peaks with shouted title vocals before coming to a sudden and dramatic end.
Concluding the package is ‘Truth Vibration' which is very similar in stylistic merits to the other tracks present. The reverberating guitars and passionate vocals are tailored, offering an overall polished finish with a raw and empowered undertone. This track is off-beat and funky and is clear to see where they have acquired the krautrock epithet with a dark edge ever-present within their songs.
The 16-minute EP is all too brief in its delivery, but it becomes clear on ilistening that there is much more this band can offer. If their live performance is anything like their recorded sound, they should be interesting to behold.
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