jackhammer

Archive are probably the newest band I will post about in here; having only been into them for about a year but what a year that's been. Rapidly climbing the ladder of my favourite bands, This U.K band are ridiculously under-appreciated over here despite having a relatively commercial sound.

Describing Archive's music is a bit of a minefield with a sound that incorporates Trip Hop, Electronica, Ambient Rock and huge epic build ups. This isn't to say that it's a mish mash at all. Just each track sounds a little different from another yet still retains it's own identity and lush sound.

I am a big fan of music that is moody, melancholic yet doesn't resort to bouts of miserabilism or obvious cliches. Monotonous, repetitive hooks really grab hold of me for some reason and Archive are damn good at this. Most of their albums contain at least one 10 minute plus epic that is relatively simple in structure yet hypnotic. Much in the same way that Pink Floyd or certain Porcupine Tree tracks can hold the attention with simple yet brooding structures, Archive do this with ease and still retain their originality.

Perfect for late night listening and in many cases are lyrically ferocious yet the music still retains it's melodic sensibilities. Archive could very well take the path of many more successful bands in producing stadium/radio friendly songs. After all they have the tools to easily do so but by retaining a non commercial stance (in terms of track length and lack of big choruses), they remain a band with integrity and individualism.

Recommended Albums:

You All Look The Same To Me (2002)
Lights (2006)

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