Aquilo
Silhouette
Release Date: Feb 17, 2017
Genre(s): Electronic
Record label: Universal
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Album Review: Silhouette by Aquilo
Very Good, Based on 5 Critics
Based on rating 8/10
Lancaster duo Ben Fletcher and Tom Higham create spellbinding and atmospheric pop that's perfect for wintry church concerts. Like a warm embrace on an icy morning, the pair's captivating harmonies come together effortlessly on debut album 'Silhouette'. With a cinematic sound not unlike Hurts, 'Almost Over', 'I Gave It All' and 'All I Ever Wanted' are intimate tear-jerkers.
Based on rating 7/10
Ben Fletcher and Tom Higham, or as they've been known since 201, Aquilo, grew up living directly across the road from each other in a small, quaint town called Silverdale. But, they didn't get to know each other until they found each other's music on Soundcloud. Now, after four years of touring and recording as Aquilo, and 50 million streams on Spotify later, they've released their debut album Silhouettes.
Based on rating 7/10
Since 2013, Ben Fletcher and Tom Higham, two young men from a small town in northwest England, have been making soulful, brooding pop as Aquilo. Now, after plenty of touring, including an opening slot on Låpsley's latest North American headline tour, their hard work has paid off in the form of debut full-length Silhouettes. Fletcher and Higham describe their record as "documenting personal experiences [they've] been through and are currently going through.
Based on rating 3/5
I f the xx have got too happy for you, fear not: synth duo Aquilo arrive with heavy hearts and a seemingly bottomless well of lush, plaintive melodies. Named after the Greek god of cold northern winds, the former teenage rock band rivals draw deeply on the melancholy atmospherics of the Lake District near where they grew up. Three years on from their breakout turn at Glastonbury, however, any craggy edges have been smoothed away by slick production from the likes of Sohn and Ólafur Arnalds.
Opinion: Excellent
Washes of placid pianos, stirring strings and solid synths form the basis of Aquilo's debut LP. It's a work of art sewn together with a mesmerising voice, a vocal that stops you in your tracks and forces you to listen, especially on dramatic opener 'Silhouettes'. Delicately tender, 'Human' flows like a ripple in the water and atmospheric 'Sorry' oozes unfathomable emotion, while 'Never Again' is a more upbeat cut, different from the overall sonic vibe yet cohesive in its musicality.
'Silhouette'
is available now