I would like to take some time to introduce a wonderful band that you probably haven’t heard of. Say hello to Sleep Whale. I would have never heard of them if it wasn’t for their label sending me their debut album. So a big thank you to Western Vinyl for giving me Sleep Whale!
Their debut album Houseboat is a delightful collection of songs that range from beautiful instrumentals with hints of ambience, to trippy psych folk. The band was started in 2006, formally under the name Mom in northern Texas. They have grown since then, releasing one hell of an album. Like I said, a lot of Houseboat is instrumental based. These are not just filler pieces to bridge a gap between songs like most albums. This is the meat of Sleep Whale’s sound. They base their songs around beautiful string arrangements that pave the way for everything else. When they do sing, the vocals are layered in a certain way that makes them hidden from clear listening, but it makes for sonic beauty.
This is a gripping album that gets better after spending more and more time with it. There are so many cool instruments and amazing sounds that add up to mesmerizing atmospheres and soundscapes. It would be pretty tough to absorb it all from one listen. Sleep Whale and their debut album Houseboat are one of the bigger indie surprises of the year!! If you are a fan of Sigur Ros, I would totally recommend checking Sleep Whale out. Give them a year or so, and I can see these guys blowing up.
The label told me to post these two vocal tracks. I hope you enjoy!
[mp3] : Sleep Whale – Cotton Curls
[mp3] : Sleep Whales – We Were Dripping
If you like what you hear, buy their record from Western Vinyl
