One area of the world where I know very little about the music scene is Eastern Europe. They had been closed off from the rest of the world for a very long time but now all the barriers are down and the music is starting to make itself known all over the world. I did some searching and came across something exciting in Slow Earth.
The band formed back in 2009 in a cold industrial city in Eastern Europe. This influence is heard in their deep and slightly dark sound. Slow Earth is a fiercely independent band that refuses to write commercial music and instead creates music that feels right to them. This has been gaining them a strong following at home and now they have plans for a full European tour beginning in June.
Next week Slow Earth will release their debut EP Latitude And 023. This 4-track record was taken very seriously as the band recorded a top studio in Central Europe utilizing top engineers from the US and Dan Leffler, of U2 and Muse fame, for the final mix and post production. Visuals seem to be another important aspect, as Slow Earth used the talents of legend Storm Thorgerson for the artwork. The first song released was the somber ‘Identity’. The minimalistic piano chords and atmospheric background brought comparisons to Sigor Ros to my head. Unlike Sigor Ros the lyrics here are in English and have deeper meaning. We were able to get an advance listen to some more of the album in anticipation of its release. The next track is the faster piano pop ‘Self Formed’. This song builds to a cascade of interesting sound all meshing together at the climax of the chorus. ‘My Pride’ has a more alternative rock feel with its echoing guitars and powerful drum beat. The vocals grab the listeners attention as well by changing volume and waking you up at times. The last track ‘Change Nothing’ combines the classic alt-rock sound with the post-modern lo fi feel of today’s underground music. This one really got me as It bounced all over the sonic map from punk to shoegaze. This is a song that will mix very well with my current iPod playlist. We are happy to have discovered them early and think it is only a matter of time and exposure before Slow Earth becomes a major player in the European music industry.
Get a feel for the band at http://www.slowearth.se
and their Facebook page www.facebook.com/slowearth.se
