Track Of The Day JEWEL SCHEME
For the aficionados of Scottish Indie Rock, De Rosa should not be an unfamiliar name, especially for those who followed the releases, from the mid-90s onwards, of the Glasgow label, founded by the memorable Delgados, Chemikal Underground Records, we are talking about bands such as Arab Strap, Mogwai and much more.
With a refined and elegant blend of off-kilter guitar-driven Indie-Rock, Folk and slight Electronic undertones, the Scottish group made a couple of albums, returning years later in 2016 with the one-off LP “Ween”, remaining, like many, always a cult group for a few but faithful followers who, like me, have never forgotten them.
S/T Album artwork
Consequently, it could not go unnoticed the new musical endeavour, named Jewel Scheme, from De Rosa frontman and composer Martin John Henry (also one half of Whin and solo), along with his multi-instrumentalist bandmate Chris Connick, and other multi-instrumentalist Allan Carroll, the latter two used to make sleazy electronic music as Knockout Ned.
Recorded in two sessions, split over the eastern Mediterranean Sea, where Chris resides, and the west coast of Argyll and Bute, to be mixed by mentor producer Andy Miller (Mogwai, Songs: Ohia, Life Without Buildings), the three longtime school friends, since their childhood days in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, deftly framed an eclectic, organic/synthetic textured concoction of unmistakable Scottish ‘art-pop’ flair ala Blue Nile, peppered with elements of ’80s synth-pop, post-punk, dub and even a teeny bit of heavily disguised rapping’, with M.J.Henry‘s refinedly graceful and highly expressive voice standing out, as a catalyst for Jewel Scheme‘s mesmerizing allure.
Following the end of June’s uplifting, piano-laced first single “Spectral Index”, paired with the mesmeric visuals by another childhood friend Kris Boyle, the more strained new release “Bells”, is a song about the conflict, or confusion, one might feel when things change quickly.
The atmospheric, electronic yet soulful “Bells” is a surreal harmonic cacophony with colourful chromatic fluctuations from a fizzling interlocking of oblique pulsating sound configurations, stirred up by faraway bell tolls, loose and scattered crisp percussions, oscillating droning low-ends, tinkling ringlets, shrilling spindly flutters, to underscore and frame resonant, angsty, and vulnerable vocals pleading for help.
Jewel Scheme‘s debut self-titled album will be released on September 13th via Gargleblast Records. On pre-order here.
Jewel Scheme‘s album release show will take place at the The Glad Cafe, Glasgow, on September 15th.
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