Pure M Magazine ISSUE 5 | Page 52

Jase Dillan Lovers + Thieves 2.5 Review by Harry Moore Cordelia & The Buffalo are an indie electronic outfit consisting of members from America, Mexico, Japan, Norway, Alaska and Venezuela. They have recently released their self titled six track EP which is a fusion of indie and electro pop. The EP opens with ‘Take It Up a Notch’, a percussion and electro bass driven track which features frequent chant-like vocal lines. ‘Dirt On My Shoes’ is a standard, fast paced indie rock focused track which includes swooning lead guitars and vocals reminiscent of many female pop punk bands. ‘Lather & Rinse’ is a modern dramatic ballad featuring moody guitars and synths and pelting dubstep style drum patterns. A heavily delayed guitar riff in the style of The Temper Traps ‘Sweet Disposition’ opens up the next track, ‘Hand Like Guns’. Once again, the track is predominantly percussion focused as it builds into another powerful indie rock number. By the time that the fifth track, ‘7th Sea’, comes around, it feels as if it’s all been done before. There is little variety in the range of the tracks, most of them following the same song structure which eventually becomes tiring. Catchy guitar riffs are galore and although 52 2.0 they are technically sound, what truly lacks is originality. ‘Free’, the final track on the EP is certainly the most interesting of the bunch as it comes in at just under four minutes (the second shortest track on the EP) and manages to pack a punch which keeps the audience interested its duration. The track is catchy, fun and is the essence of what Cordelia & The Buffalo are trying to achieve. The outfit is attempting to be as vibrant and energetic as possible in all that they do. This can be seen and heard both in their image and sound. They are a band which consists of a variety of cultures and this most definitely transcends in to their music. Their music is full of colour as a result of the wide range of instruments and sounds used throughout the EP, to the point that it is in fact a little overwhelming. The exotic nature of the bands sound is one that can be found in the likes of Friendly Fires, Local Natives and Florence and the Machine but the end result of Cordelia & The Buffalo just falls a little short of the work of their contemporaries. You can hear the EP which was released in January of this year over on their Soundclound page. The EP can also be purchased digitally and physically on their Bancamp page. Review by Gemma Dennison Boston based rock singer-songwriter Jase Dillan has been making waves on the International music scene receiving radio airplay in over thirty countries. Her latest offering ‘Lovers + Thieves’ is a captivating six track debut EP. Brutally honest lyrics and endearing vocals draw you in from the get-go with Dillan taking the listener on a personal journey of heartache and strength. One dominant message is echoed throughout the record “Lovers and thieves, they both steal your heart, Lovers and thieves, they tear you apart”. The singer has experienced her fair share of pain yet instead of drowning her sorrows, bares her soul and pours her energy into her music. She picks up the pieces of her past with vigour and all six tracks reflect the good, the bad and everything in between. The balance of delicate, lofty notes followed by powerful, husky tones portray a brave battle with what life has thrown at her. Everyone can identify with at least one if not all of the songs in some way or another and you can’t help but admire Dillan’s honesty and vulnerability. This is a well-structured EP with lyrics, vocals and ]\