ALBUM: 'Cut Out Shapes' Cut Out Shapes

Leeds is quickly racking up a reputation for boasting a vast range of up-and-coming artists, so many, that the city is beginning to give Birmingham, the hub of UK music, a run for its money. One of the most innovative bands hailing from Leeds are dark, alternative-rock voyagers Cut Out Shapes, who released their self-titled debut album earlier last year.

Marrying typical, alternative-rock guitar riffs (shown in full-frontal glory on ‘Ecstasy’) with nostalgic punk foundations – ‘Open Up Your Eyes’ – is the recipe for success featured on the quartets debut album, Cut Out Shapes. Opening with the blaring, instrumental ‘Celestial’, Cut Out Shapes make it crystal clear from the onset that they’re a force to be reckoned with.

Previously released single ‘Backwards Philosophy’ and ‘When The River Runs Dry’ create an atmosphere of brooding before exploding into a controlled climax. Blood, sweat and tears have gone into the creation of Cut Out Shapes, and ‘Backwards Philosophy’, with its intensified emotion, and the soon-to-be-celebrated ‘When The River Runs Dry’, showcase dedication in its highest form.

While the album heavily relies on the use of the electric guitar, tracks such as ‘Nightmare’ and ‘Digital Dreams’ are powered by frontman Chris Ward’s eerie vocals, as well as the latter featuring an acoustic show of merriment. The four-piece have created a diverse album of sounds, styles and genres: leaving the gap for Cut Out Shapes’ follow-up album to potentially spread into every territory possible.

Cut Out Shapes, the debut album from Cut Out Shapes, is available to stream and purchase on cutoutshapes.bandcamp.com now.

Ella Scott
@ell44h