Ceiling Demons – Nil (Win Big Records)
CD / DL
22 September 2017
9 / 10
Experimental alternative rap act release their long awaited
second album.
To quote the title of their single from earlier this year,
Ceiling Demons continue to March Forwards.
Yorkshire’s very own alternative rappers have long been favourites of these
pages and their progress has been slow but solid picking up fans and supporters
along the way.
Their sound has progressed from the almost lo-fi sound of
their debut album Dual Sides with several singles and EPs along the way and,
with support from such luminaries as Tom Robinson at Radio 6, the band have
slowly built up a reputation which is testament to their hard work and self-belief.
What sets Ceiling Demons apart from their contempories? They are part of a new breed of British rap
that also includes the mighty Outside Your House, who consciously or not
believe in the regionalisation of their sound.
There is no attempt to sound mainstream nor to sound ‘old skool’ or as though
they have come straight from the Bronx.
Their sound is honest and true to themselves and with it brings with it
an authenticity that makes them stand out simply for not standing out.
With Nil descends a darkness, themes of male suicide, of loneliness,
and lost hope prevail but with a sense of positivity that everything will and
can be overcome. Of ongoing strength
building to overcome the demons and the blackness and album opener The Rose
perhaps typifies the theme and feel of the whole album in just two and a half
minutes. Sounding, bizarrely, like a
song that could have been recorded by Johnny Cash for his Man In Black series,
it consists of just vocal and simply strummed guitar pervading gloom and
self-destruction whilst offering “life within the rose”. The Rose is a masterstroke in terms of album beginnings
and if nothing else, engages the listener to stick around.
Behind the vocals of twins Psy Ceiling and Dan Demon are clever
loops and backing tracks courtesy of producer and mixer George Rushton (Beat
Demon) and, this time round the addition of live guitar, drums and bass adds to
the empowering sound. March Forward is nothing
short of genius, echoing sounds of a certain wholemeal bread advert from
yesteryear, it bravely uses little else than the sound of a colliery band with
brass instruments plodding alongside the biting vocals. It is refreshing, engaging and in a peculiar
sort of way, exciting.
The Dark Mountain hits hard, the vocals border anger and are
swiftly following by an almost monastery sounding chant evoking further sounds of
darkness and introducing the backing vocals of Rosey Purkiss-McEndoo adding yet
another dimension to the upward spiralling sound and including a delicate trip-hop
beat to close.
The subject to depression sensitively dealt with on Dust. It conveys desperation and anger in a respectfully
executed piece of work with a hypnotic vocal loop to close and, succinct minimal
backing as does the following track Closeness, an addictive sample weaving its
way into your head.
With current album teaser Capture Karma comes multiple
vocals and simple melodies that intertwine to create a cacophony of sound. Its base lies in an uncomplicated background allowing
both music and voices to stand out in equal proportion. It stands as a strong track on the album,
waving the flag for the Demon sound and standing out as the albums best track.
Nil is a brilliant album and well worth the four year wait
since the Ceiling Demons debut. It
weaves its way through darkness into light via hope and positivity. It moves from black nights to bright sunrises
and it is a cleverly thought out project.
Ceiling Demons continue their journey and a long one it could well be.
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Published on Louder Than War 16/09/17 - here
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