Listening to the dense psychedelic bubbly guitar twang of "Rainbow Song" by The Violet Hum, the project name of UK singer songwriter / multi-instrumentalist Matt Arthur (The Coo, The Arthur Brothers), setting the framework for Matt's charming evocative croon and you can't help but be swept back. Back to the late 60's specifically. It is not only the lilt of Matt's aesthetic and comfortable vocal melodies but the divergent drum beat that Ringo could of come up with, the hollow body slid guitar bends that feel like and amalgam of Eric Clapton and George Harrison (back in the day), the sparkling ethereal layered shapes of sound, the ambient swells and more. While that is all so dreamy, there are other sonic tones the feel more like contemporary indie rock. Matt is able to trade off and blend these cross generational sonic cues effortlessly. It is all so lovely, romantic and a much needed escape during these difficult times.
Of the dreaminess and sonic clouds with hints of silver linings, Matt shares: “Maybe people are right when they say it’s the hope that kills us in the end. But at least it’s a nice way to die.”
A self produced EP by The Violet Hum is on the way. Lucky us.
-Robb Donker Curtius
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:
https://www.facebook.com/theviolethum
https://soundcloud.com/theviolethum
The Violet Hum is an indie-alternative musical chameleon which at its core revolves around the songwriting and production of multi-instrumentalist Matt Arthur (The Coo, The Arthur Brothers).
In early 2020 Arthur bought an eclectic assortment of home studio essentials with the general idea that he might start to develop the skills to produce recordings for himself. When the first coronavirus lockdown hit the UK, he suddenly found himself at the edge of what seemed like an unlimited chasm of time. What should happen next seemed obvious, and before he knew where he was, he found himself fully submerged in the murky waters of DIY music production.
The experimentations lasted throughout that year and well into 2021, during which time Arthur found deep artistic satisfaction in the process of expressing himself in the purest sense, without the need for the compromises that naturally come with musical collaborations. He also, slowly, started to find his feet and eventually emerged with a sound and a direction that would become The Violet Hum’s first EP, ‘How To Swim’.
The Violet Hum sound, and the sound of ‘How To Swim’, has echoes of ‘The Bends’ era Radiohead, the drama of Peter Gabriel and the clear and haunting vocals of Neil Young and Kate Bush. The record is a dense, melodic and atmospheric journey from the depths of an unforgiving ocean to the sunlit warmth of a golden beach that resonates with hope and fear in equal measure.
Says Arthur, “I’m afraid the EP itself offers very little in terms of practical swimming advice. But, I’m proud of the songs anyway. I dedicate it to everyone who has ever felt ‘all at sea’, which to be fair is probably everyone these last few years”.
The Violet Hum, Psychedelic Rock, Lo-fi Rock, Indie Rock, late 60's tones, dream pop, cross generational cues, modern contemporary, indie rock meets nostalgia, "Rainbow Song",
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