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The Harrow
The Harrow EP
The Harrow is a
new Coldwave/Post-Punk act from Brooklyn, NYC. As it is formed by
experienced musicians, it blends the fresh and spontaneous energy of
a new band with great musical skills and knowledge. Frank Deserto
(bass, synth, machines) has gathered Revel Hotel bandmate Barrett
Hiatt (synth, programming), along with Greg Fasolino (guitar) and
Vanessa Irena (vocals, synth), and now the band is delivering this
cool five-tracks EP.
No doubt these
four know their classics, the EP actually sound like it is an
eighties’ release in many aspects. It brings to mind The Cocteau
Twins, The Cure, and coldwave bands like Asylum Party among others.
Synths are very present and dramatical, as shows in the chilling
introduction of the first track “To a Figure”, and the more
electronic but no less hypnotic “Milk and Honey”, which comes
with impressive waves of synths, and adds up psychotic drum machine
beats . The desolated “The Fall”, together with the icy “The
River” could be outtakes from The Cure’s “Faith”. Guitars are
sharp and together with the spooky bass, they seem to have decided to
play with your nerves. Then “Requiem” offers an oppressing ending
to the EP, with its claustrophobic intro and muffled, deadened
vocals. Effects on Vanessa Irena’s vocals make them unreal, almost
spirit-like.
The Harrow
knows where they want to take you, and they certainly know how to
take you there. This 2013-released EP sounds more “eighties
Coldwave” than the actual “eighties Coldwave”. It could be
considered a stereotyped, calibrated work, but the songs are so damn
good that this becomes irrelevant. Let yourself drown into frozen
blankets of fog and enjoy the cold wave...
Guillaume Renard
