Album Review: Belleville - The Promises EP

'The Promises EP' forms the first recorded output from Kent-based belleville in just under a year, and it is a sensational reminder of why this band is worth keeping an eye on. The three songs that feature on the ep are already live favourites, but this doesn’t stop the EP from feeling fresh. The band has built on the eclectic sound of debut ‘The First Dance EP’, creating an even more atmospheric, and in some cases heavier, sound.

Current single ‘For You (Forever Young)’ opens the EP in style. There is something incredibly simplistic, yet beautiful about the opening of the track, building slowly from keys and voice, into gentle drumming and then the full band. It has a very natural rhythm, and a chorus that is ridiculously addictive. It is obvious why belleville have chosen this as their single, ‘For You (Forever Young)’ urges the listener to dance, and the prospect of several remixes of this song available in the future, should be enough to have dub step fans salivating nationwide. Frontwoman, Emily Yates’ vocals are as melodic and haunting as ever, and add beautifully to the harmony of the track, whilst the awesome drumming of Justice Addison is perfect in the mix. ‘For You (Forever Young)’ is crying out for airplay, it is uniquely both contemporary and individual, and with the right exposure could be a massive success.

Since it’s live airing in the early part of the year, second track ‘The Storm’ has been Belleville’s most guitar-driven track. This does not mean that the keys and strings that are so obviously part of the Belleville sound are absent, but it’s the guitar parts and bassline that really spice the track up. It starts with trademark keys and voice, and then crescendos into a wonderful breakdown, the climax of which is a rocking guitar riff, which is unfortunately cut quite short in the mix. Still, ‘The Storm’ is a great track, and one of the band’s most varied.

Belleville really turn up the atmosphere on final track ‘All Of The Promises I’ve Heard’. If ‘The Storm’ was all about the guitar, ‘All Of The Promises I’ve Heard’ is all about Yates’ voice. She displays an impressive range, and the moments were she sings in tandem with the strings are brilliant. Once again, Belleville have created a track, which is extremely danceable, the whole band complimenting each other perfectly in the mix. Something that is so evident in the latter part of the track where a wonderful soundscape lead by Yates’ voice forms, making for a perfect end to a truly great release.

So many reviews these days are about bands that haven’t done anything original, but have done the same thing to an alright standard. The same cannot be said of belleville. Everything on ‘The Promises EP’ is not only truly original, but supremely executed. What makes this band such an amazing prospect is their ear for a tune, each track on the ep has it’s own merits and could easily fulfil the role of single. Belleville have the potential for massive cross-over appeal and as momentum grows behind this release, their future is surely bright.

5/5

'The Promises EP' by Belleville is available now through Big Cartel.

Belleville on MySpace, Twitter and Facebook.

Dan Issitt