DiS' Class Of 2009 #8: The Invisible

DiS' Class Of 2009 is comprised of bands our core contributors really think you should be listening to. Simple as. We're not necessarily saying they'll 'blow up' or 'cross over' or any of that industry nonsense, but we are saying we think they're great and have a hunch at least some of you will agree...

The Invisible

As far as new band recommendations go, if avant-garde electro-whizz Matthew Herbert’s into it, rest assured you’re looking at something interesting. The Invisible, then, are set to release their eponymous debut album via his Accidental label this March and as calling cards go, it’s shaping up to be one of 2009’s finest. Dave Okumu, Leo Taylor and Tom Herbert (no relation) began playing together as 2006 drew to a close, with a joint pedigree taking in the likes of Zongamin, Gramme and Jade Fox. It’s no surprise, therefore, that what was initially intended a project to showcase the rich, soulful vocals of Okumu soon flourished, blossoming into a collaborative effort every bit as exciting as you might imagine. Choppy guitars, a glossy studio sheen and sparingly dropped samples cosy up with aforementioned vocals, predictably seeing the term "British TV On The Radio" excitably bandied around – and as unimaginative a journalistic ascription that may be, it’s one that really does make sense in this instance. Worth considering also is that as much as it might prove an albatross that hangs around this most promising of band’s necks, there’s not many who could pull off a comparison of such heft through but a few deeply promising tracks. Although teetering close to a dense, layered angst (“If misery was a prison cell / It was not of his making”), cuts such as the superlative ‘Monster’s Waltz’ and dub-heavy rumble of ‘London Girl’ exhibit a palpably beating pop heart which – fragmented though it may be – is illustrative of a band as winningly accessible as they are simply “interesting”. So, then: bring on that debut album…

• ‘London Girl’ is released as a single on March 9th, preceded by the album The Invisible on March 2nd. Both arrive via Accidental Records. Catch the band live as below:

January
31 London Notting Hill Arts Club

March
2 London The Lexington
10 Manchester The Deaf Institute (DiScover show)

MySpace.com/TheInvisibleThree