Saturday 21 November 2009

Zambri - Bang for Changes

Hailing from New York, Zambri have served up a meaty slice of synth-pop, accompanied by an industrial side salad for their second EP 'Bang for Changes.' They sound somewhere between Kate Bush and Sigur Ros, with a contemporary pop sheen and unexpected tempo changes.

It sounds like this EP was brilliant fun to write and record, each track is dripping with sounds and effects. 
Zambri have emptied the cupboard of resources available to them and haven't been too afraid to accessorise each and every moment of 'Bang for Changes.' Clearly a crafted and considered EP, what could have ended as a deafening mess still feels fun and fluid. The sisters' vocals range from playful and enchanting to manic and persuasive, complementing each other perfectly throughout.

Each track, taken on its own, is highly original and strong, but the first couple of tracks have the same melody and structure, and blend into each other. The use of repetition after the first track becomes, well, a little repetitive and some of the tempo changes feel unnatural. 'Let It Said' sounds vaguely like t.A.T.u, apparently Russia's most successful band, otherwise known as those two 'lesbian' schoolgirls, but don't let that put you off.

It's in the last three tracks ('Bang For Changes,' 'Get Dressed' and 'Let It Said') that the magic really happens and the band's sound really opens up, becomes three-dimensional and enticing. It comes as no surprise that people have had trouble pinpointing their unique sound, while comparisons to Bjork and My Bloody Valentine go someway to formulising a picture of what is to be expected, they don't tell the full story.