SILK VILLAGE LAUNCH DEBUT EP ‘CLOSED DOORS’
By Steve 'Habibi' Kelk
Young Darwin bands are stepping up and filling voids in the local scene across all genres with fresh sounds and can-do attitudes. Silk Village exemplifies this emerging trend with their recent well-attended gigs and now with their excellent debut EP ‘Closed Doors’.
Silk Village’s psych-rock-reggae sound is laid back but with enough grunt to hit you in the liver and get you up and grooving. The four-piece outfit (Ben Quinn – vocals/rhythm guitar; Phillip Pusterla – lead guitar; Joe Pusterla – drums; Tor Burns – bass) has found a groove that has been missing for a while in town and not too soon at that. Their recent intimate gig at the Mayfair Gallery showed that their understated energy, subtle build-ups and hypnotic rhythms can entrance a room and have the crowd moving as one blissful animal, mesmerised by twirling guitar effects and a rhythm section that sits firmly in the pocket. For an emerging band, Silk Village is off to a great start.
The three tracks on ‘Closed Doors’ are all a little different but with an unmistakable and consistent style. Musically, there are shades of Sticky Fingers in there, with Ben Quinn’s vocals evoking a bit of Morrissey to this writer’s older ears – if The Smiths played psychedelic reggae, they would sound like this, only this is not so melancholy, and is sans daffodils (thank God). ‘Swordpoint’ is a layered, spacey reggae-beatfest swirl with powerful lyrics delivered powerfully. ‘Company’ is a bit more of a ballad, the lonely narrator entreating the night to deliver him from his solitariness. The title track ‘Closed Doors’ grips you early with pumping bass, upbeat tempo and a gentle but firm punch that sets you off down the road, leading to a quiet little bridge. From there, a descending chord structure over some subtle lead to the end consolidates its ominous feel.
For a first effort, ‘Closed Doors’ augers well for the future of Silk Village. The songwriting is what one might expect from a more established outfit and there is a quiet cohesiveness that comes across in their live performances. This is a band that pivots well from the studio to the stage and whether you see them live or listen to the ‘Closed Doors’ EP, you are going to get their full effect either way. Production on this EP is top-notch.
Silk Village will be launching ‘Closed Doors’ with guests At The Dakota and Casey Jane at the Darwin Railway & Sports Club Friday November 24th 2017. Tickets $10.00 online/$15.00 on the door. Doors 7.30pm.
For online ticket sales: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/silk-village-15511829007?s=79688758
‘Closed Doors’ is available on
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3uFUXzT5kwWTYlQFnnOYOY
Apple Music: http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1304573887
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/silk-village
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