Exempla Traunt - I Feel You (Debut EP)

Exceed Records

Exempla Traunt encapsulate the essence of the classic movie signature track, with their debut EP ‘I Feel You’. Igniting flashes of almost iconic movie scenes at every turn, Exempla Traunt plug the latent emotion of the power grab from opening track Lake Shores and its thrilling parallels to the final scene of Blood Sport, through to the more sage Kevin Costner in Robin Hood-esque Go Up The Stream.

The Italian rock/pop quintet, who combine the energy of a mighty 80s ballad with the buzz of a progressive electro twist, are true believers in the art of retro kitsch. Synching elegant psychedelic rock with a classic pop sensibility, Exempla Traunt’s songs are as immediately catchy as they are wispy once turned off. For days after listening to Exempla Traunt’s music there is the repetitive loop of one of their chorus lines sitting at the back of your head (always minus lyrics) with words created entirely by Ns fizzing in your mind and twisting in your dancing grooves.

Lead singer Martha Mel’s vocals, which are reminiscent of every Pop Idol finalist who dared take a walk on the wild side, command centre stage on their 4 track EP, released at the end of 2008. She sounds so much like that lady who really believes in what she is singing about, and her band follow suit, plucking and strumming with electric zeal.

The EP comes with a pair of Exempla Traunt’s music videos. These are the main culprits in the inescapable parallel between their music and that song from the soundtrack, which is played right at the crux of every unfolding drama. Images of horses and castles and begging peasants set a well known scene and in the minds eye the video morphs seamlessly with the impassioned fight between Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham. Imagine, if you will, that moment when you are on the edge of your seat, fingers curled around one another, teeth gritted in anticipation as the narrator faces one hardship after the next. Then, just before it all becomes too much, the disembodied emotion of Exempla Traunt’s music rises in the back ground and in your mind you scream YES! He’s going to make it!!

It might not be everybody’s cup of tea and there is an element of the generic in the make-up of Exempla Traunt’s music. However, each and every one of us have the skeleton in the closet, the favourite 80s guilt watch, which brings back memories of playing cards in bicycle spokes and the highly anticipated tinkle of the ice cream man’s van. If you are prepared to embrace that (and you still keep some dusty copies of your favourite videos on VHS under your bed) then you may just like these guys. On the plus side, if you do get embarrassed when caught up in the whirl of the musical power grab, you can save this album for your special private listening time. Nobody need know about it, it can be your little secret.

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