The latest musical offering from Hampshire electro act heath:ward is probably one of my faves to date. Always capable to bring the party up or wind it down heath:ward have crafted something particularly strong in this musical composition.

heath:ward are more than meets the eye. You can and would lump them into the DJ/Dance genre but they are songwriters, composers through and through. They have held their own on many a guitar band gig night in between sets and performed as a musical act in their own right. They have compositions that rival any songs or any guitar band and this latest offering proves how formidable their music writing credentials are.

heath:ward - Orange

Lucy Kitchen is a local folk singer/songwriter favourite and her mellow and soothing musical presence is often welcomed by gigs fans to casual lounge observers alike. The familiarity of Lucy’s voice blends in well here and Lucy has made a strong departure from her normal musical stomping ground but her soothing, sombre vocal is at home with the instant chilled festival euphoria of the heath:ward vibe. About 5 minutes in, a sudden, stray chorus arrives to bring some form of climax to the ebbing flow, a crunchy synth upheaves the stoic atmosphere stirring Lucy’s yearning vocals and everything pours into the crescendo. Again a composition that disproves heath:ward are a typical dance act.

Orange (featuring Lucy Kitchen) from heath:ward on Vimeo.

The visual impression of the video from Robin Savage is instantly assertive in displaying its content, grasping your attention with sharp, poignant imagery and bringing you tumbling into the musical composition. The subtle continuity of the video creates intrigue as it goes. The almost spectral presence of Lucy in the video provides a good focal point to let the music wash over you. Savage avoids getting caught up in music video clichés or visual effects for the sake of it and instead uses superbly timed editing, that ties in flickering ghostly effects with the trademark heath:ward percussive beats. Savage prefers bringing and keeping the entire fabric of the video alongside the essential musical score that was its creation. No lengthy superfluous Kubrick style footage from Savage who thinks as much from the point of a musician as he does a producer/director.

As local music video productions go this hits a new level of creative quality and perfectly compliments the distant and eerie musical score, playful but grim continuity giving way to a form of storyline unwinding before your eyes.

Words: LewMac

heath:ward 2012 Tour Dates:

29-30 June 2012 Blissfields Festival http://blissfields.co.uk/
13 July 2012 Lubstock Festival http://www.lubstockfestival.com/
1 September 2012 Pulse Festival http://www.pulsefestival.org.uk
6 September 2012 Bestival http://www.bestival.net/

https://www.facebook.com/HeathwardUK