We continue 18 for ’18, our feature of showcasing eighteen Irish acts we’re convinced are going places in 2018. Throughout January we’re going to be previewing each of those acts, accompanied by words from our writers and an original photograph from one of our photographers. Next up is Cork’s Crevice.
Photo by Abi Dennison
Here’s the thing, a good “vibes” band is hard to find. Capturing atmosphere and the wispy texture of indescribable feelings is, understandably, a tough task. Yet every hack with a synthesizer and a copy of To Be Kind thinks it’s a piece of piss to write long, mood-driven pieces that subvert typical song structure in exchange for something more free-form and progressive.
But it’s not easy to write music like that. Simply look to the basement bin that is Spotify’s post-rock selection and the hundreds of Explosions In The Sky-aping post-rockers who think that six crescendoes make up for incompetent songwriting. The majority of people who try to work within this genre ultimately end up putting out material that is derivate, meandering and pointless. Another layer of noise in an already overcrowded room. Tedium and boredom are always flirting around the edges of records of this ilk, like a weary Damoclean sword. But it’s that risk that makes the reward so much richer. Cork’s Crevice is one of those little groups that make this dirge bearable because wading through every misjudged “epic” brings you a little closer to the excellence of what this three-piece have made.
The fact that this trio is as good as they are should come as no surprise. They have been doing absolutely stellar work in their hometown for years. Be it Roslyn Steer’s KantCope label, Irene Buckley’s Wry Myrrh or Elaine Howley stellar psych/post-punk chops, the achievements under this group’s belt are nothing to be scoffed at. Fittingly, Crevice does feel like a genuinely collaborative entity. There are shades from each its creator’s other projects all working in tandem to make some truly intoxicating music. It’s rare to encounter such raw individual talent working together so succinctly. While their time together has been brief, it is incredibly fruitful. Last year, the collective released their debut LP, In Heart, on Fort Evil Fruit and it’s a gem. The album is a dense, deeply enchanting slice of ambience that marries a subtle sense of foreboding and gloom with a delicate twinge of fragility. Tracks such as ‘On Se Calme’ and ‘Sludge Box’ need to be on hard rotation for anyone with even a passing interesting in the genre. There are whispers of the Cocteau Twins, Love Spirals Downwards, Lycia and all the various shades of grey that exist in between.
Crevice is the sort of band you have to lose yourself to. So hand your mind and body over. Will Murphy
