EP REVIEW: Delicate – Lastelle
It is difficult to imagine LASTELLE being anything other than a seasoned band if you were to listen to their Delicate EP without any prior knowledge to the DIY act. Such is the quality of product on their latest six track release as the young post-hardcore act really make a movement to assert themselves as not only a fresh young act, but one that could feasibly take it all the way to the hearts of pop crowds.
With a sound that takes it wall of sound approach from shoegaze and it’s riff led breakdowns from the modern hardcore scene, LASTELLE come equipped with a deeply vibrant musical palette and it shines through within the first minutes of Delicate. Distant Bodies wastes little time in taking the listener straight into the heart of the bands song writing, jumping from typical post-hardcore guitars and huge vocal lines delivered with passion from their drummer who also does an excellent job keeping the pace with thunderous beats. Every song on this EP deserves to be fully appreciated and LASTELLE have done an amazing job at ensuring their song writing gets the time and attention they know it deserves.
With this opening track and the later Departure, LASTELLE do well to fit the stereotypical assumption of post-hardcore in the modern age whilst still keeping their identity very distinct. Whether that be through the sheer size of their choruses or the touching emotional atmospheres brought on by the grounded lyrical work and swelling instruments, there is a very tangible sense of identity that ekes from every second of this EP. Departure certainly features what could be seen as the best chorus on the EP, but that battle is duked out with Only Apathy also making fair game for that title. The latter offers the space to really allow the harsh vocals to stand out amongst the soaring guitars and melodies that fill the rest of the run time as provide amazing highlights from a release that only runs just shy of 15 minutes.
The diversity throughout the EP is excellent. Coping Without a Cure is tinged with sadness in its final moments, and whilst its structure makes its placement on the EP feel somewhat strange, the track still stands out for the best reasons. Maybe it was the songs position as closer on the most recent single reveal that has pitched it as an overall closer to this writer, but the top heavy crescendo definitely gives it a finale type vibe. The actual closer, A Letter Unread, does a great job at closing off everything with a painful smile thanks to the delicate pianos that start and the fading closing seconds that tie up the overarching themes of love and loss in a nice bow.
Even when LASTELLE follow the genre clichés by dropping breakdowns to round off their songs, there is a real sense of purpose in everything they do. The additions of trumpets in Reverie as well as the increased instrument count across every moment on this EP it is clear LASTELLE are here to be their own inspirations and to carve their own mark within the wider musical scene. There is something special about this Delicate EP and about LASTELLE as a band as a whole. The clear concept of love, loss, and coping with both that flows throughout is real and emotive, not on the nose like so many can come across, and the exceptional delivery of every musical element pushes this EP further towards greatness. If you can remember the excitement that HOLDING ABSENCE commanded back before their debut album then you should have an understanding of how excited we should be about LASTELLE.
Rating: 8/10
Delicate is out now via self release.
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