Photo: Alex R. Kirzhner
It’s been a year in emerging acts consisting of solo artists and production collaborations. The ‘band’ concept as we know it hasn’t really grown in shooting forth new talent has it? Excluding Years & Years of course, who have pretty much owned it in the ‘band’ situation from beginning to end.
There may yet be a turn in favour for the ‘band’ concept though, as newly emerging Los Angeles four-piece Transviolet are beginning to impact the UK.
It’s only been a matter of months since Transviolet rose to prominence over the pond, coming about in a curiously marketed manner, as the promotion team went into creative overdrive to launch the band. First off by distributing annoynomous cassette tapes outside of the music industry to random recipients only addressed with the message ‘just press play’. The response was largely a positive one, as the ‘recievers’ took to their social media at once, first to question why these mysterious recordings landed in their mail? and secondly for the most part, to heap praise on the cassettes content – later revealed as buzz track “Girls Your Age”.
Another buzz track down the line “Bloodstream” and everybody from Katy Perry to Harry styles via Lorde and Ellie Goulding are clamouring onside in support.
Largely now considered of the alternative pop curve “Transviolet” are expediently cashing in on the created whirl of hype, and this see’s them already setting their sights on gaining an international following, beginning with official debut single “New Bohemia” which is to release early next year.
Of the three tracks revealed ‘New Bohemia’ is the one that stood out most to me, to be honest being that it has a far more pop rich sound, whilst still retaining its exultant indie-pop edge. This is where the comparisons to Halsey begin to abound though, ‘New Bohemia’ verus ‘New Americana’, of this it cannot be denied there is some striking similarity.
Halsey had a top 20 album here with little UK promotion, when it comes to Transviolet though, they are putting their roots down early, maybe some way in avoiding the staggered release scenario! – Oh please!
All three of Transviolet’s tracks do hold their own however, and there is definitely a rather pronounced aura about the overall artistry of the tracks that go beyond the social marketing ploys to introduce a band that might just have the opportunity to go the distance for some time to come.
Who knows, Transviolet’s arrival on the scene might just encourage a fair few other emerging bands to follow suit into pushing forward into wider notice. A little more of this would do well for the equilibrium in the current state of pop. Absolute.