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HALOGEN Baby's Eyes Karmic Hit
Some '80s-style electronics and Jasmine's suitably detached vocals will probably make a less-dancey Goldfrapp the ecomparison point,which I'm hopefully the first to use (though probably not).Through the headphones, here in the lonely dark (exactly the right way to listen to it), it's actually even a bit moodier than that - anybody remember Twin Peaks? This could be on the jukebox in the Black Lodge.There is romance, of the cool-to-cold type, with the mad dogs howling, or about to. Music that will probably find its worth outside its homeland, which may well be our loss.
Drum Media - 08/03/06
- Drum Media
Halogen - Sirens
Home > Music Reviews
Reported by: Malachi_777 - Tuesday, Aug 29, 2006. 14:34
Hailing from Western Australia, for those who aren`t familiar, Halogen are a band that manage to fuse emotional grooves with an openness not found in many bands of their sort.
Following up from Baby`s Eyes, their beautifully captivating, somewhat melancholic sound has been carried forward to this third album. There is a sense of mystery and intrigue presented throughout this recording, again and always, an element of sadness forms perpetual ripples dispersed throughout.
'Even In The Summer' is a downbeat track even though it starts up tempo and it feels like the quintessential Australian heat is bearing down in their home city of Perth. However, it seems fitting that most of Halogen's musical calamities would best be listened to on a rainy wintry day.
Peculiar and comforting vocals provided by Jasmine Yee breed a kind of introspective wave of colliding thoughts, especially in us prone to this kind of behaviour. Sometimes, you can`t help but become moved or affected by such torrents of emotional music. There are even similarities to Little Birdy and their vocalist Katie Steele, this is especially true on the track 'The Letter' which has that almost husky intimacy they both convey.
The particularly striking and enchanting 'Baby`s Eyes' needs no formal introduction as it swirls its way into the mind. Set out like a paragraph, Halogens song lyrics on Sirens are much deeper than they first seem. Poetry, meaning, emotion, depth and experiences are pined over.
Distinct and unique with a mellow like acceptance, Sirens builds on the ears song by song. Beware though, their music may bring out the desire to pour a nice glass of red while soothing away the days woes. This is the notion given most of the way along, especially as the spiritually swaying 'Sad-Love'(drive) plays.
'Tonight' features sweet sounds on guitar that complements the track so well.
'Get Up' blends some electronic sounds on keyboard with a distorted haze and mesmerizing vocals that are hypnotic and softly saddening to say the least.
Ending the record with a repetitive gorge of strain sounds a bit abrupt, but then there`s the strange sense of hypnosis that you`re still under for a little while afterwards to even think about worrying.
- FasterLouder.com
West Australian
Halogen Sirens Karmichit Records Review: Pip Christmass *** 1/2 Perth band Halogen's third offering is a grower whose intricacy and beauty reveals itself as the album progresses or after a couple of listens. With their moody, atmospheric, gothic-tinged rock, Halogen have always stood to the left of other local bands such as Eskimo Joe or Jebediah. While the latter looked back as far as early 90s grunge, Jasmine Yee and her band look even further back for inspiration. The guitar work on Sirens is outstanding, harking back to 17 Seconds-era Cure or even Joy Division. While Jasmine Yee's vocals never really soar, she moves into sublime territory on closing track Get Up and ballad Sad Love (Drive). Triple J favourite Baby's Eyes is an atmospheric beauty, and if some tracks wash over you without making an impact, there's more than enough good stuff to tip the scales in this album's favour. Worth a listen.
- West Australian Newspaper
The WAMI’s have a fantastic ability to bring new punters out to the Perth scene. Halogen had no woes playing to a sea of Eskimo Joe fans, and it was good to see the audience still more interested in watching the other bands then talking amongst themselves. After all, Halogen’s unique ethereal rock sound, defined by Jasmine Yee’s honey vocals, fantastic effects on the two Fender Stratocasters plus the addition of electronic samples, was providing an inimitable sonic experience for the audience. Highlights of the set included familiar favourites like “Neon Lights” and closing number, “On a Bridge”. It’s easy to crave other old favourites not performed on the night such as “Caught Me”, but the bands recent forays into electronica is proving too fruitful to warrant complaint.
- WAMI online
Discography
2006: Sirens (album)
2006: Baby's Eyes (5 track ep)
2004: Building On the Edge of the Sky (album)
2003: Save the Ones You Love (album)
2001: Somewhere You're Alone (5 track ep)
1999: Into the Crash Barrier (5 Track ep)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Hale Milgrim - ex-head of Capitol Records USA - has listed them on his June 2006 list on 'Hales Hit's, an eclectic list full of all the music that has turned him on while organising his pet music festival project 'Sings Like Hell' in Santa Barbara. Having this musical luminary place Halogen's name alongside such acts as Placebo, Morrissey assures the validity of their music not only in their small hometown of Perth, but also across the world to fans in the USA, Japan, and Europe.
2006 Halogen are promoting their third album (the second official studio album) 'Sirens' - halogen's best recording to date.
Described by critics as 'capable of taking the band to greater heights' and with 'guitars reminiscent of 17-Seconds-era The Cure and of Joy Division', Sirens is the culmination of three years hard work in their home studios and in the studios of Studio Couch and Blackbird Sound, both in Perth. Originally intended as three eps grouped as 'electronic', 'loud', and then a final 'quiet' ep, the idea was thwarted by time and money. The more recent use of electronic sounds inspired by the 2005 collaboration of electronic artists is eveident in the track and first single 'Baby's Eyes', while Halogen's heart of indie gold can be found struck deep within the chords of 'I Get Lonely' and 'All the Way Down'.
halogen have performed as a five piece since 2003. In this year they captured the attention of John Kilbey - director of Sydney based indie label Karmic Hit, a label created by Steve Kilbey, lead singer/songwriter from seminal Australian band The Church. Created as a way to release his singular musings, it became a launch pad for the music of friends and other independent acts. Halogen joined a roster of Australian and international bands such as David Thrussell (Snog and Black Lung), The Beangrowers (from Malta), Pugwash (Ireland), and Pluto (from New Zealand).
Halogen's goal has always to push the pop/rock formula sideways. The diversity of fashion,popular culture, music, art and literature has always inspired their aim to to create. As singer Jasmine Yee says: "We don't want to be be too CLEVER or TOO SIMPLE. We want to be a little naive, because naivite is beauty, and while it can't always be attained, real beauty and innocence is hard to find but is definitely worth striving for. We want to surprise ourselves."
Vocalist Jasmine Yee has been noted for her unique vocals and melodies, and it is her personal stories and feelings which colour the writing of all of Halogen's song lyrics. She is also a guest vocalist on the UK number# 1 drum 'n' bass album 'Hold Your Colour' by UK based Australian drum and bass act Pendulum (who also originated n Perth).
Frans Duff is responsible for all of Halogen's remarkable artwork on posters and albums.
Trent studies Classical Music at the WA Conservatorium in classical trumpet, and Robert has just completed his Diploma in Creative Technology, also at the Conservatorium. Drummer Ben Crooke played in gothic/rock band Rhodamine before playing in the My Bloody Valentine-inspired band Glimmer, before hitting the skins for halogen.
Halogen are looking forward to expanding their audience nationally and internationally, and one day connecting with all their overseas fans who have contributed to their website guestbook on www.halogenworld.com
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