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Review: The Helio Sequence - Negotiations [Album]

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Review: The Helio Sequence - Negotiations [Album]

Sub Pop Records // "The reverb-heavy Negotiations is definitely an album to look forward to"

by , and has been Read 765 times.
Last Edited by: Chris MUG5 Maguire August 31st, 2012.
Negotiations is the fifth full length album by the singer-guitarist Brandon Summers and drummer-keyboardist, Benjamin Weikel. It sounds very different from all of their previous works because their recording studio flooded right before they started recording. In a way it was blessing because Negotiations was recorded in a new studio which was a 1500-square-foot, former breakroom-cafeteria in an old warehouse. The duo had a lot more space and that meant more equipment, which successfully translated into a very edgy record.

The alternative rock album has a multitude of sounds ranging from the lively 'Hall of Mirrors', melancholic and haunting 'Harvester of Souls' which, according to Sub Pop, was completely improvised musically and lyrically in a single take.

LISTEN // 'Hall of Mirrors'

http://soundcloud.com/subpop/the-helio-sequence-hall-of-1

The very echoed vocals make the songs sound dreamy, which is further helped by the excessive use of synthesized futuristic sounds, especially in the title track and the intro of 'Downward Spiral'. The cover art also seems like a part of the space theme with the blurry stars and moon.

The lyrics are very free and spontaneous, this makes the songs easily relate-able. Like the uplifting 'October' that urges the listeners to "Keep in mind the last time but don't ignore the first/ Raise your eyes just go again there will be a next time/ So you go if you wanna go, if you stay you will never know/ Day will rise again, You know it will come again."

LISTEN // 'October'


Weikel has done a fabulous job with the drums. The rumbling percussion gives the tracks a life of their own, especially on the first track, 'One More Time', the mesmerizing 'Open Letter' and the deep, thumping bass in 'December', which almost resembles a heart beat.

Negotiations covers a range of emotions with every track. There is solitude, memory, misgivings, loss, atonement, acceptance and hope. The reverb-heavy Negotiations is definitely an album to look forward to.

Negotiations is out September 10th on Sub Pop Records

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