It has to be said that The Chant make some absolutely beautiful music. Ever since stumbling across their atmospheric Ghostlines album and absolutely loving it, I’ve always kept my eye on the band and New Haven is yet another incredible release from the band.
New Haven is hauntingly stunning, with lush instrumentation and beautifully smooth vocals that move as one with the music. It’s relaxing yet gripping at the same time, keeping your interest but maintaining a chilled and laid-back aura. It’s refreshing and one of the immediate standout tracks is Playwright, beginning with sparse and simplistic instrumentation and vocals before the full band kicks in and cranks up the momentum.
Another particularly strong inclusion is Cloud Symmetry. With repeating ideas that get stuck in your head, it’s a song that you won’t be forgetting any time soon and plays on the band’s strengths, highlighting everything that’s great about the band. If you’re looking for a song to get a good idea of what this band is about, or even a good starting point, this is it.
New Haven is another fantastic release from The Chant. There’s perhaps not too much variety between a couple of the songs, but that’s just a minor nitpick at an otherwise excellent album.
8/10
