Review: Holobody – Riverhood

Holobody AKA Felix Green and Sea Oleena are a brother and sister duo embarking on their first album and they’ve made a brilliant start. One description bestowed on their music is “electronically-propelled folk” and there’s certainly a strong sense of futuristic production combined with traditional forms of songwriting on ‘Riverhood’.

If originality is what is called for, Holobody hit the mark regularly. Right from the beginning, the Canadians’ gifts for unusual arrangements, meandering melodies and heavenly harmonies is there for all to see as a dreamy ‘Unfold’ segues into ‘Hurricane Season’ (which features, almost implausibly, some rapping from Oleena) and then an impressive instrumental ‘Stomp Coda’ to end the opening three-part suite.

After this imaginative and ambitious opening, you could forgive the siblings for easing off but the idiosyncracies and invention continue to capture the listener’s attention. Their range extends from the cinematic melodrama of ‘Procession’, via the comparatively simplistic 1960’s-themed ‘Way The World Goes Round’ and haunted gospel of ‘Down To The River To Pray’, to ‘Acid Rain’s psychedelic finale.

It’s always very encouraging that hitherto unknown acts can still produce such unusual and original music as this. ‘Riverhood’ is a frequently surprising and colourful record that further proves how experimental music can be approachable and involving.

Web Sites:
Holobody Bandcamp
Holobody Tumblr Site
Mush Records Label and Shop Site

Further Listening:
His Name Is Alive, Beach House