Coming on strong with brooding intensity and dark instrumentation, Los Angeles’ Tes Elations are a force to be reckoned with and sure breakthrough act of 2012, so long as we stay sane long enough to predict it.
It all starts with a key performance of threatening vocals from front woman Barrie Rose, before hell breaks out with arrested strings and percussion that builds and builds. Elements of “May She”, the opening track of the band’s debut album, call to mind Esben & the Witch at their most ghoulish, while other moments hark at the classic influence of Kate Bush. Matched by Tes Elations’ self confessed inspiration of “Ghanian drumming, Arabic orchestral work, comedians, North India studies and classical music”, and you start to get the picture. This stuff will stick to your soul and burn a whole straight through it, if you’re not careful.
Tes Elations is out now and can be ordered from here.
