Vagabond Spectre
Mirrors
11 Track Album
Polymath
Released 27th January 2017
By: Pagan Hel
Vagabond Spectre – Kiev, Ukraine
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/vagabondspecter
Genre: Indie Rock
Well it looks judging by the cover that the Astronaut is having a disco on the moon, however, the music although not disco isn’t too far removed from the 80’s culture of electronic, running along the lines of Soft Cell, although not as electronic as that but this has the rhythms and the beats that really significantly make this band a whole new ball game!
As ‘Half a Billion Miles’ belts out with its subtle tones and soft keyboard melodies I can’t help but be transported back to an era that I secretly liked, for the electronic aspect, despite being an out and out metal head, as I learned keyboards and love that beautiful sound of notes that float uncontrollably through the brain cells and add in a great melody!
‘She’s a Bird’ is another soft and subtle graze in a meadow and yet it isn’t all sweetness and light – it does have its kicks and swirling rhythms. The vocals definitely suit the music 100% – nobody would know that this is a band from the Ukraine whatsoever! That’s if it wasn’t for the names giving them away!
‘Dancing in the Light’ well this is where that Astronaut comes into play I think! It is definitely a body swayer for sure! The solid melody and little stabbing rhythms are quite pleasing to the ear.
‘Scars as Notes’ is a floor gatherer… it is bursting with amazing zest and I would go as far to say invigorating!
‘Guru’ is a very subtle and sombre affair, with a scratching rhythm that is like a shoe shuffle effect. It soon wakes from its sleep and melodically transforms into another ‘hip swayer’ with a sing-along chorus and has put a smile on my face!
‘Joshua’ is a profound track that punches through subtle waves and leaves the ears overwhelmed with captivating melodies and rhythms that melt into a cascading harmony with an underlying edge!
‘So Complicated’ is anything but complicated and probably the least complicated on the album although probably a little weaker than the previous tracks, but the band have produced a good rhythm yet again!
‘Suitcase Full of Dreams’ is quite a strange concoction of unusual sounds and soft vocal caress.
‘Running’ feels like you just opened a music box and then it explodes into this rapturous melodically ambient track that your body cannot ignore.
‘Wait for you’ is a great track, full of electronic noises and harder rhythms that are dark and inviting. The subtle vocal tones are a prominent feature here but surrounded by an edgy and forthright swirl of dreams and incorporating magical harmonies.
‘Late Night Crawling’ is rather a sparse track that features heavily on a drum beat at least at the start and I can now hear a slight foreign accent that was completely covered up before.
I can honestly say I haven’t heard anything like this for a very long time and it is great to re-live the 80’s scene, even if it was 37 years ago. They were magical – just like this album!
9/10
Track List:
Half A Billion Miles
She’s A Bird
Dancing in the Light
Scars as Notes
Guru
Joshua
So Complicated
Suitcase Full Of Dreams
Running
Wait For You
Late Night Crawling
Members:
Pablo Specter – Vocals
Egor Gavrilenko – Bass
Yuri Smalius – Guitar, Sound Producer
Alex Okremov – Drums.