AlphaState
London, England, United Kingdom | SELF
Music
Press
It’s cold outside, but this tiny room atop The Enterprise is like a sauna. The DJ downstairs is so loud that we’ll have to make a fair bit of noise to drown him out. Fortunately, help is at hand.
First on stage, and my first band of the New Year are Alphastate, a one vocalist, two guitar trio who are not prepared to let these cramped surroundings thwart their ambitious approach.
The band inhabits the vast swirling soundscapes that bands such as Cocteau Twins pioneered. The kind of music that had writers of the time reaching for descriptive clichés such as ‘sonic cathedrals’. Alphastate aren’t quite at that level just yet, but they do produce a very tidy sonic bungalow.
In the first half of their set, singer Ani is rather swamped by the FX pedals of her colleagues. Indeed, the first completely audible words that we hear are a perfectly sung “…if you can sort that [guitar] out we can play the next song…”
As things progress, Ani comes more into her own. She’s actually got a strong voice and it’s all very enjoyable. Songs such as ‘A Prayer For Something Better’ and ‘Units’ show promise and I think that all they really lack at the moment is that one single, absolutely killer tune that will make them stand out.
Alphastate are certainly in the right (sonic) ballpark though. - Artrocker (webzine)
First up were a band I had never heard of before called Alphastate; I had no idea what to expect, having trailed through youtube quickly before heading out the door and coming up empty-handed, so what I got was a very pleasant surprise indeed. I'm not 100% sure how to describe what they do, I guess it's quite rocky.. The intro to the first track they did reminded me of older Metalllica stuff which is always a good thing, but the vocals!! The Singer had a really strong stunning voice and I really wasn't expecting it.. I really loved it! - Chords and Candles (blog)
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
AlphaState's dark yet sparkling and haunting melodies go straight for the hairs on the back of your neck. The widescreen atmospherics and staccato drum programming hints at The xx, Joy Division and 'Disintegration'-era Cure, but somehow AlphaState are more expansive, less claustrophobic.
The alchemic mix of bass and guitar effects and edgy, lurking atmospherics are punched along by AlphaState's wickedly programmed drum machine and layered with Ani's voice which, although tinged with a sadness, soars beautifully with the music. The dark and driven songs talk of fractured relationships and an unhappy disquiet with the world, but there's no tragic resignation here; instead a sense of urgency and determination.
AlphaState has played extensively across London and the southeast, including the Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen, Monto Water Rats and the Wheatsheaf (Oxford).
Links
