After the otherworldly vibes of Mt. Wolf's last single "Life Size Ghosts", it would have been very easy to assume the band got lucky with that track. Lots of bands immerse gentle folk instrumentation with a tinkerbell voice and a shimmering electronic coat, and although most of this music flatlines uncommunicative and uneventful, every now and again a truly gorgeous tune pokes its head out, and "Life Size Ghosts" was definitely one of those. Yet many bands of this nature find it hard to keep from pulling their head back into their shell, and failing to follow with anything else as memorable.
"Hypolight", however, showcases an altogether more confident size to the group. It's just as ethereal and ticks all the same genre-standard boxes, but whilst many a band in this vein seem content to sing to us from the distance, hoping the all-encompassing reverb carries on the message, when singer Kate Sproule deliriously sings "put another light out", she's standing face to face with you. You can hear life to her voice, a beating heart, and (has hell frozen over?) nuances! And character! It's a vocal performance that could potentially give them the same break and hype that similarly-expressive-exception-to-the-atmo-folk-band rule London Grammar have deservedly enjoyed.
As pianos and guitars mingle in the background, its a joy to hear a voice soar above the musical tapestry, rather than be content to be just another instrument. More steps in this direction, and Mt. Wolf are real contenders.
FOR FANS OF: London Grammar, Bat For Lashes, Mazzy Star
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