Satellites - Satellites.01

by Benjamin Howarth

published: 14 / 11 / 2012

Label: Vesterbrother
Format: CD

Lush-sounding debut album from Satellites, the project of the enigmatic and deliberately anonymous Johnny Vic

Review

Finding information about Johnny Vic, the man behind ‘Satellites 01’ has proven remarkably difficult, even with the whole internet at my disposal. The album artwork makes it clear that the anonymity is deliberate – this album is intended to speak for itself. “It doesn’t matter who wrote this album, what matters is that this album had to be written”. Such pretentions might be frustrating were the music itself worthy of the mystery. A slow, lush set of 9 songs over 43 minutes, with Vic’s plaintive voice set above pianos, strings and clicking rhythms. ‘Railway Lines’, a simple sad melody, reverberates gently, sounding like Gary Lightbody moonlighting with Sigur Ros. That song is a highpoint, though while some of the less striking songs may meander a little, they remain listenable. Vic’s neat turn of phrase (“I live in a city/Where I don’t speak the language/But everyone speaks mine/Not the ideal environment for a paranoid mind”) makes me wish I knew a little more about his life. His words stop this album floating away, and make you listen that little bit closer. Packaged elaborately in silver, the care and attention that obviously went into this album is replicated in the packaging. Though Johnny Vic clearly made this album for himself, everything about it suits the listener – beautifully recorded and presented, at an accessible length. It would just be nice to know a little more about it.

Track Listing:-

1 In a City
2 Railway Line
3 Small Neighbourhood
4 Best Days of Our Lives
5 Mindreading
6 Calm of the Water
7 Where Love Lies Bleeding
8 Boy Cries Wolf
9 Sale of the Century