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Review: Us by 12Signs21Sounds

 


12Signs21Sounds are an interesting duo, whose music is unconventional and genre-bending, yet with a familiar melodic path and an intimate atmosphere that beautifully awakens their themes of love and devotion. The music was written and recorded in New York and Prague, two magnificent cities with very different qualities. The duo also run 12:21 Sounds Production, making beats and supporting other artists, so there is clearly both a selflessness and a quiet confidence to them, and it shows in their music. 

The two members Sachi & Sarka, whose poetic stories of romance are based on their own relationship, take on different roles of singer and rapper against a backdrop of minimalist hip-hop and r'n'b, the kind that you can imagine being created in the depths of night in a small flat overlooking the city lights. Their three track Soundcloud release 'Us' is an alluring set of songs with a persistent aura; and yet each track manages to produce it's own character too.

The opening track 'Home' opens with some strange jangling sounds, before jumping straight in with the chorus, a catchy blend of vocal leads with a hook displayed by a rich backing vocal that recalls the phonic indie of Warpaint. The mix of beats and echoing guitar lines evoke The XX quite graciously, as do the duo's breathy voices bouncing gorgeously around the hook. The track builds and breaks nicely and by the end that hook is buried deep in your mind.

'12:21' is a concoction of night-time electro pop à la 'Visions' era Grimes, but without the broad overlapping vocal harmonies and a heavier focus on the ambience and mood. It's got a trap-style beat and a more spoken-word-poetry type of rap that tells a very personal and modern tale of discovering true love. The chorus vocals are hugely soulful and there are some particular nuances in the way the melody moves that are just fantastic. In minimalist music like this, it is those unique moments that bring out the personality of it's creators, and it can elevate something simple into something marvellous.

'Fall For Me' opens with those soulful vocals again, accompanied by a solo piano; but when the rap comes in it's bombastic, full of swagger and courage. The rap vocals throughout all the tracks remind me tonally of CSS's audacious front-woman Lovefoxx, and have the same kind of fearless individualism, but with more restraint and less wild eclecticism. This song is a celebration of freedom and becoming oneself, and in the final leg there is a awesome sense of uplifting serenity.

This is a wonderful first exhibit from this duo, and it was such an enjoyable listen that I had it on repeat for most of the day. With a consistent vibe across all three tracks, 'Us' really defines what 12Signs21Sounds are about. I'd like to see them branch out a bit more stylistically in the future, as on repeat listens the tracks do become overly familiar; but I have no doubt that they have the ability to do this, and to widen their musical aesthetic without losing the elements that make them special.


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