Hailing from the areas of Kent and Brighton, the ambient, post-rock Coldbones are just shy of turning four months old. However, their recently released ‘Winter: 2014’, recorded at Emeline Studios, would suggest that this trio have months of experience under their belts – an achievement that established bands have sometimes spent years honing.
Kicking off with ‘The Hands Between Us’, Coldbones introduce an ethereal opener, helping to create an electric atmosphere. Halfway through, the track transcends, and is reminiscent of a mellower version of instrumental tracks from the now-defunct The Elijah. The drum work creates a rock-steady foundation for killer riffs, which somehow remain incredibly tight and polished too. It’s a confident sounding track and wouldn’t sound out of place on an arena-sized stage.
The same can be said of the (sadly) final track ‘Maeve’. It’s a slightly offbeat open but, after the shaky start, they quickly find their feet again and offer up slower yet still rousing riffs. Complementing the peaceful backdrop with velvety and fluid riffs once again, it’s rather stunning to believe that this trio haven’t been making music under the name Coldbones for that long. These tracks are perfect examples of how they execute their art, pouring their passion and being into them.
The only criticism is just how little material Coldbones have to offer; at this early stage of their career, it seems to be a case of treat ‘em mean, keep ‘em keen. However, Coldbones have pulled off these two tracks with finesse and style, especially as ambient-based tracks can sometimes be difficult to listen to – if they’re too long, there’s the chance that interest will quickly be lost. But these guys know the perfect balance between too much and leaving their audience wanting more.
JESS TAGLIANI