ALBUM REVIEW: Technicolor – Covet

Coming off the back of the momentum of effloresce from 2018, COVET have made a real name for themselves as one of the most emotionally charged mathrock bands, who don’t substitute technical playing in their quest for connection. They’ve created a niche in the technical/progressive scene, which is no mean feat when you consider the genre. Returning with their second full length, Technicolor is a deeper exploration of sound and style.

Opening is good morning, which is as light and clear and the dawn. Immediately, there’s a fresh, crisp feeling about this song that layers atmosphere with every phrase and each new effect that coats the canvas of the piece. Atmospheric and contemplative, it breathes on nothing but guitar riffing for half the track, but as the warmth of the drums and bass permeate into being, the energy lifts and the joy of what’s about to infold on Technicolour.

A notable point before we start, this song has nothing to do with the band and everything to do with The NeverEnding Story, atreyu has a bounce and curiosity to it. It’s super lively, and very innocent feeling. There’s a lot of intent in Yvette Young’s playing, things get bolder and braver and yet more reflective as the song continues. There’s a lovely balance through the percussive parts of this track, and the ebb and flow between the heavy and the simmering technicality of Forrest Rice’s drums is just sublime.

For the first time on a COVET record Yvette truly sings, and parachute is the perfect vessel. Her voice is in complete harmony with the vibe on this song, and adds another element of storytelling that is always present in the music, now with lyrics to help hone in on the theme. Expansive, expressive and experimental, parachute is a musical sprite of overcoming fear and tackling hardship. predawn sounds like how memories feel. The warped sound of tape, the thick sense of nostalgia, the bright droning notes that seem to sing through like a sigh. It’s subdued and cosy, but suddenly, like emerging from a daydream and becoming aware of the awesome environment around you, the crashing, immersive tones of David Adamiak’s bass and Rice’s drum work add so much vibrancy and presence.

First single to be released and demonstrate what on offer was nero, which by now has mesmerised many COVET fans with it’s peaking hooks and determined melody. This is definitely one of the crowning jewels of this record, with so much texture running through the various elements; tempo, fills, time signatures, phrasing- everything works to weave an intricate tapestry. The whole song is coloured with the various effects that drip and spiral, spike and shimmer, fuzz and thicken; there’s so much to unpack that you’ll joyfully surrendering it with every listen.

pirouette is another warpy, drippy movement that has so much jazz and spontaneity that some will be a little lost with it, while others will be lost in it. This feels entirely sporadic, it’s the vibe of a quick, contained jam that throws all that it is at you, and expects you to take it for what it is.

pries seems to take Young’s signature style and amps up that mesmerising tapping technique, the looping, and the tone of her guitar and makes it the most complex thing we’ve heard so far on Technicolor. The rhythm section is absolutely awe-inspiring, especially the tonal contrast of the bass to the dancing of notes from the guitar. If you can keep your head for long enough while following all this, the middle section of sheer harmony between all three instruments is so satisfying after trying to keep up with each individually up until this point. If you’re here for experimental sounds and gnarly melodic playing, this is the COVET track that should persuade you that they’re one of the best. Ranging from growling to soaring, this track really has everything.

To soften things we next have parrot, but by no means do COVET take their foot off the pedal. parrot bubbles along with great tonality, intensifying and deescalating like a valley of washing delays and mountains of chorus and reverb. It’s another light and beautiful listen, that flutters and hammers with equal measure. An utter delight.

In tribute to Young’s veteran violin teacher who passed, odessa carries the sense of momentous inspiration he must have had on her. It’s serene and full of memory and longing, but not so much in a nostalgic way, rather in homage and weighted respect. The violin itself is a gorgeous addition, and the subtle tinkering through the drums is both filled with purpose and very restrained; the bass quietly droning and tonally grounded as the echoes of melody run their course. As the guitars warm through with the tape delay, the emotional heart of the track crashes out. It’s an elegant sentiment and one we can all attach our own passions and experiences to, and leaves a real impact. Even in its final moments, when the guitars strip back, there’s a feeling like coming home, magnified by a comforting a few bars of Young’s calming vocals.

As we started with the break of day in good morning, now we find ourselves at the end with farewell. It’s lushly washed in delay and chorus, and starts with a spinning, mystical inflection that is accompanied with more attractive vocals. Strange, alien effects and unusual flavours come through, even at this late point of the record, making for just as enjoyable a ride as anything else COVET have offered on Technicolor. Everything builds into a compressed, tense feeling as the rhythm gets ever more concentrated, and suddenly dissipates into the stretching, ripple of vibrato tape delay. It’s a brilliant track, and a great way to end things.

COVET demonstrate that they have not only a sure-fire way of incorporating technical playing into new, experimental ideas, but they can also completely overwhelm the senses with melody that really means something. The emotional impact of Technicolor is bound to hit everyone differently, and interpret each phrase of music as something different. Whatever your perception, it’s the huge amount of vibrancy and storytelling in the heart of every track that stays with you. There’s incredible joy and sorrow, pain and effervescence are all wrapped up in this adventure of a record. COVET have pushed themselves further to produce something true and meaningful, and it’s really paid off.

Rating: 9/10

Technicolor is set for release on June 5th via Triple Crown Records.

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