Quickbeam’s debut album is all about gentle melodies and lush strings. Although the vocals of both Monika Gromek and Andrew Thomson carry these songs, it is the strings that bring them to life, that make you know the debut album of this four-piece is going to be a great listen. They grab you with the opener ‘Remember’ and don’t let go.
Single ‘Seven Hundred Birds’ fills the role of epic love song, all fragile vocals, shaky piano and rich strings. But not everything is so gentle. ‘Grace’ builds to a climax of drums and distorted guitars, a wall of noise a world away from so much else on here.
While Quickbeam comes off as a gentle, relaxing album, it is nevertheless a quietly confident debut which delivers on the promise of their early work. It is mature and thoughtful which will reward close listening. The often sparse instrumentation leaves plenty of space for your mind to wander within the world they create.
Words: Eala MacAlister