Album Review: Novella – Change Of State

Released: 17.02.17
www.novellaband.com/

Sinderlyn Records

Steeped in analogue warmth and with vocals drenched in copious amounts of reverb, Change of State opens with a flourish. Does the Island Know possesses an excited, driving beat and catchy hooks, but this soon peters out, to be replaced with lacklustre tracks that fade into background music. The initial promise of the album falters as the indistinct tracks blur into one another.

The inordinate amount of reverb becomes increasingly tiresome and the apparent lack of enthusiasm fails to capture the listener’s attention in what is a style over substance affair. Sonically, the album’s warmth and superb production is its most redeeming feature: what it lacks in hooks and passion it makes up for in its authentic analogue sound.