Discovery Of The Week: Balloon Ascents

According to the old folk, teenagers can only drink, be violent or make crappy pop music. Even I, as a fellow young adult, find that many bands of my age group simply want to be the Arctic Monkeys and have zero future prospects. Balloon Ascents give hope to my generation. Oxford born and bred, these five young lads have already mastered the art of creating gentle and calming, yet fascinating, music. Having known one another since the age of thirteen, the band have an underlying and undeniable connection, making their music just that bit more special.

The eponymously titled debut EP from Balloon Ascents is four incredible songs comprising of sublime melodies and five voices in perfect harmony. The first (and my favourite) track, ‘Cutout’, is brilliantly simple: a slow and continuous bass-line with some resonating guitars form the base of the track as Thomas Roberts’ full and warming vocal – “there’s always gonna be someone around to tell you that you’re wrong” – is airy and melancholic. Roberts’ unique tone is ideal for this Beirut-reminiscent track, and the chorus’ lyrics lull back and forth like a boat on the sea – “and it goes on and on and off and on I long for something else and it wears me out.”

‘Out On The Ocean’ is the longest track on the EP and, at a full six minutes, it allows the band to experiment and discover their sound. Many contrasting sections live within this one song and they all complement each other perfectly. An electric, but folk inspired, introduction is cheeky and lighthearted, whilst the track eventually progresses into a pretty epic guitar solo – flitting back and forth as though in battle to gently die away into a beautifully echo-filled ending.

Balloon Ascents’ debut is an exquisite collection showing just what the band have to offer. Have a listen to it here:

 

Elli Brazzill

@littlelionelli

Photo Credit: EneHarry Videofotograph

 

Elli Brazzill

Elli Brazzill

I’m Elli, 20 and live in Manchester. I like good music, gigs, rice krispies, 7” singles and puns. Alex G, Day Wave, Jaws, Talking Heads, Best Friends, Mac DeMarco, The Strokes, Parquet Courts and Tyler the Creator are pretty cool aren’t they. @cometobrazzill on twitter.