Phlow: Songs und Netaudio: schließen sich diese Begriffe gegenseitig aus? Mitnichten, auch wenn es dem einen oder anderen von uns gelegentlich so erscheinen mag - zumindest in den Situationen, in denen das verzweifelte Wühlen nach Perlen im Mist der Netlabels mal wieder nichts anderes als elektronische Experimente auf die Festplatte befördert. Auf der kürzlich auf iD.EOLOGY erschienenen "Songbox EP" überrascht das australische Quintett "Verlure" mit fünf clever arrangierten Stücken im Songformat. Ohrwürmer inklusive.

Der letzte Ohrwurm, der sich aufgrund einer Netaudio-Veröffentlichung bei mir eingenistet hat, lebt schon lange nicht mehr. Genau genommen kann ich mich nicht einmal mehr an seinen Namen erinnern. Der Nachmieter ließ einige Zeit auf sich warten, aber das Ausharren hat sich gelohnt: "Walk Home" ist hier, um zu bleiben.

Zwischen tighten Triphop-Beats und kernigen Jungle-Grooves wartet Sängerin Lynnelle Moran mit ihrer zarten und charismatischen Stimme auf, die träumen lässt. Sie verleiht der Songbox EP ihren speziellen Glanz und Charakter; der Hauch von Refrain in "Walk Home" treibt mir noch Tage nach dem ersten Hören das Wasser in die Augen. Das soll jedoch in keinster Weise die Leistungen der anderen Bandmitglieder schmälern, denn die EP lebt vor allem vom Zusammenspiel von Stimme und Musik.

Auch Im Kontext der restlichen, stilistisch relativ breit gefächerten Titel geht das Konzept auf: Lynelles Stimme in Kombination mit den alles in allem gelungenen Produktionen zwischen Pop, Triphop, Drum'n'Bass und Dub macht Spaß und Lust auf mehr. Lust auf mehr? Könnt ihr haben: Anfang 2005 erscheint das Debut- Album der Australier. Ich für meinen Teil freue mich jetzt schon.

Catching the Waves:

After a hard day fighting crime and introducing green-skinned women to the Earth custom known as "kissing", I needed to hear something soothing wafting across the foyer of CTW Towers. Fortunately, my secretary was playing Songbox by Velure, and its appropriate opening track, Walk Home, did the trick. On hearing Dale Arden batting her eyelids at Flash Gordon over a bass line with white-noise overtones, CTW's ears immediately tucked themselves in for the night with a nice cup of cocoa. All was well.

Velure are Australian purveyors of dubbish trip-hop electronica. (The internet: ears love it.) The quintet crafted Songbox, a five-track EP, in 2003 and recently decided to let we're-not-worthy uber-netlabel Ideology have the album in a splurge of Ocker-Teutonic McLovin. This is what's known as a Very Good Thing.

Throughout the second track, What To Do, as in the rest of album, Lynelle (Nelly) Moran's voice is set to "tickle". It brushes up close to the listener's ear and flirts with the dubby, bouncy bass and lonely-sounding harmonica. *loosens collar*

Dub permeates Do You Feel Right? thanks to its soporific vocals, skanking guitar and a refusal to explain why such a lethargic track feels up-tempo. It's catchy. You'll be singing the chorus in the bath. Actually, there's not much echoing and endless reverb going on here. Perhaps it's better to call it "G'day Reggae". Sorry.

There's something wrong with Birdy, the fourth track. The symptoms: slooow, meaty drum beat, vinyl crackles, simple accompaniment, slurred strings, noises off, and breathy are-we-there-yet vocals from a young lady. My diagnosis: Birdy has a nasty dose of trip-hop and the only cure is to listen until dawn. The track finishes with birdsong and should be sponsored by hypnotists worldwide. Three thumbs up.

The drum 'n' bass of Resonate does what it says on the tin (or the songbox), and feels as though Velure are all sitting on the lid to stop it getting out, only for the beats to pop out and have their say. It's singalong, dinner party drum 'n' bass. And that's Another Very Good Thing.

In-depth review: sounds great; catchy; suitable for all Homo Sapiens; eminently satisfying to fondle; free.

Velure have another album, Care For Fading Embers, available from iTunes and other music corporations via Velure's website. Let's hope the generous gesture of releasing Songbox for free is rewarded by sales. Go on, feed and clothe some talented musicians and further the cause of free internet music.

phlow-magazine:

Australian Trip Hop Vibes | Velure is a quintet in the footsteps of Massive Attack, Goldfrapp, or Portishead. With muscled beats ranging from Hip Hop to Drum’n'Bass Velure make a stand and and crawl slowly under our skin. If I listen to this netaudio classic I always get caught by the haunting voice of Lynnelle Moran. Like a princess she spends velure a magic touch

Just open up and open your ears for the extraordinary “Walk Home”. Roy John, Lachlan Carrick, Dan West and Christopher Hale did a great job to accompany their stylish songstress. Together we nod to their heavy beats, the grumbling bass and the melancholic sounds. Or get freaky to the dark vibes of the drum’n'bass “Resonate”. Delicious!

What I like so much about “Songbox”, is the fact that you discover all these reminiscences to different styles of music. Be it Dub, Reggae, Hip Hop or Drum’n'Bass: the australian Trip Hop Band manages to mix their influences smartly together and it works. It’s a little miracle how all these influences come together to present us a delicate EP from beginning to end.

The only downside of “Songbox” is that we still miss a follow-up. These five accurate tracks just make my ears thursty for more. Let’s be patient and digg this EP. Rewind!