Carrying over as former members of the blissful indie rock outlet The Lonely Trees, Analee Ferry and Christian Stone team up once again for their evolving project, The Howls. What separates this group from The Lonely Tress is the fact this alluring duo takes on the instrumental roles themselves. The two present their full-orchestrated sound in a highly intoxicating light.
While Ferry continues to stick to her post of fronting the band, she accompanies Stone with her keyboarding expertise as he fulfills the duties of guitar and bass and drum programming. However, one defining factor that solidifies their transition into a refreshing style can be found through their debut effort, Howls, a release that introduces you to the band’s dark yet inviting tone.
From start to finish, Howls details an ominous delivery to their electronica-based approach. As the record begins with a soothing and unwinding tempo from Stone’s luscious bass and technical beats, Ferry’s seductive nature complements “Foolish” through fascinating verses like, “Stay with me/Be a fool/You could be my everyone.”
Throughout Howls, Ferry and Stone’s colorful musicianship stands alone, with a charismatic quality that establishes a vibrant and exciting pace of momentum. While Stone’s voice slightly overshadows Ferry within a lively and atmospheric follow-up track like “No Man,” for instance, he also instills a youthful narrative in the sincere ballad “Sixteen,” which addresses the reminiscing comfort of innocence. In contrast, Ferry invites you with an enticing vocal harmony in “Electric Wave” as Stone’s captivating instrumental production hones her intriguing lyrical prowess.
At times, it would almost feel as if Ferry and Stone’s personal traits are complete polar opposites. However, if that is the case these conflicting personalities definitely attract. Not only does Howls instill a charmingly magnetic vibe into each song, the duo also mesmerizes listeners with tranquil melodies that channel thrilling emotions.
In A Word: Inviting
