Sunday 11 March 2012

Beau Navire/Republic Of Dreams - Split 7"


This is the first review I'm doing of releases by the brilliant Kent based label, Parade Of Spectres. This is the split 7" from Oakland, CA's Beau Navire and new German band Republic of Dreams. The record has been co-released by a number of labels, including IFB, Pure Heart, Moment of Collapse and Inkblot, alongside Parade of Spectres of course.

The copy I received is on black vinyl and is comes in a cool sleeve, which is different to your normal vinyl sleeve, as it open out to reveal the record inside.


Tracklist:-

Side A - Beau Navire -
1. Phalanx of Lenses
2. Ghostlike

Side B - Republic of Dreams -
1. Golden Parachutes For The Carpetbaggers, Austerity For The Rest
2. It's Still Fucking Personal
3 A Refuge Becoming Utopia.

Beau Navire's side of this split starts with Phalanx of Lies starts with some great, melodic, clean guitar which leads into some high pitched screamo. The vocals seem to be buried within the music which is good as it allows the tuneful instrumentation to shine through.

This is proper screamo, and I don't mean to generalise it, but the jangling guitar riffs make it standout from copyists. This is more apparent in second song Ghostlike, which is a longer song, but the impact of the difference between the vocals and the music is greater. It's almost as if it's uplifting and were you to block out the vocals, you would be left with really chilled out indie. I think the vocals add a chaotic side to Beau Navire's sound though. It jolts you into life, it makes you feel on edge. Nothing is quite what it seems in this world, and Beau Navire prove that in abundance.

Republic Of Dreams side begins with a song with one of the best titles I've seen in ages - Golden Parachutes For The Carpetbaggers, Austerity For The Rest.. There sound is much faster and immediate, but with the same high pitched, buried screams as Beau Navire. The music is still melodic but is more chaotic. There are three songs on there side of the split and the first one rushes by in the blink of an eye.

Again, Republic of Dreams, like Beau Navire, rely on indie instrumentation and allow the vocals to sit deep within the music. The production lending to this by helping the music to tear forth with abandon. There reliance on chaotic blast beats and semi stop-start passages add variation, but it's all over too fast.

Repeat plays of this EP are a must for you to get the full experience. If you're into post-hardcore bands, this is your next step towards more meaningful, heart-wrenching music. It leaves you with an impression and imprints a sound of beauty upon you. If you can pick up a copy of this record, do so and breath it in!

Go an familiarise yourselves with Beau Navire at http://www.facebook.com/pages/BEAU-NAVIRE and Republic Of Dreams at http://republicofdreams.posterous.com.

Also, you can pick up the release from http://paradeofspectres.blogspot.com/, http://ifbrecords.com/pages/main.html, http://pureheart.czechcore.cz/records.html, http://www.momentofcollapse.com/, http://inkblotrecords.net/i/ and http://www.reactwithprotest.org/.

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