Various - Relict / Below The Sea - Out of Time / Pola Mountain

  by Tommy Gunnarsson

published: 8 / 5 / 2002

Label: Johnny Kane
Format: 7"

intro

Split single featuring melancholic British group, amd Canadian electronica experimentalists, Below the Sea

Johnny Kane is the record label responsible for bringing public attention to bands like The Clientele and The Relict, and have released some great singles by both these two bands. Apart from that, I sadly must admit that I haven’t heard the other bands on the label, although a soon-to-come compilation CD 'A La Pillows & Prayers' will be a perfect opportunity to make some new discoveries. So far, the Relict have released three singles on their own, and two split singles, one with The Clientele and now this one, with Canadian band Below The Sea. And believe it or not, The Relict keep doing their thing, which basically is The Clientele’s thing. Their contribution to this split single is called 'Out Of Time '(named after the REM album, or maybe the Rolling Stones song?) and if you have heard or own any of the previous Relict releases you know what to expect here. A slow, melancholic song which is perfect for a rainy day. And it’s great! Innes Phillips, the main man of the group, however, doesn’t sound so much like Alistair MacLean (the Clientele;s singer ) anymore, and that’s a good thing. Not that MacLean has a bad voice, but more because now you can tell one from the other. Below The Sea on the other hand is a new name to me. Apparently they have released some albums and singles on their own, but I have never even heard of them before. And when I listen to 'Pola Mountain', their song on this single, I understand why. This is not my cup of tea. What we get here is a slow and experimental instrumental piece that never seems to end, even though the song isn’t very long. I frankly think that it’s out of place that I even open my mouth about this, because it’s not what I normally listen to. So, I suggest that if you like space-pop or ambient pop music, maybe you should check it out. But don’t blame me if you don’t like it.

Track Listing:-