Starframes - Close [ForTheLoveOfBands review] #Shoegaze #Dreampop

On very few fronts in this day and age, do you still find concept albums and projects, especially at the unsigned or small label level. The artists are not fully developed, the day-to-day goal is just to gain notoriety, not to marry into other art forms. Budgets are tight, show schedules are crazy, it’s a lot for bands early in their careers to take on projects of greater magnitudes. It is however, well-worth the extra toil. This is why when you see something transpiring in this arena, it’s good to get in on the ground floor with the artist and the project, for the sake of art – you know?

Naples-based band, Starframes have composed an album of 15 songs, with each track correlating with one of the chapters in the novel, Nicht Vergessen, which is penned by Raphael Bramont, singer and guitarist in the band. The novel is due out shortly after the album. Lyrics from the 15 songs are based on dialogue and emotional moments from the book.

The story is based in 60’s East Berlin and portrays a cold and dangerous era for its main characters Friedrich and Akelei. One of the tracks from the album is titled, Close and at first listen it’s dreamy, reverb-soaked aura is compelling and transporting. It’s droning rhythm section, coupled with lofty, Harrison-esque slide guitar melodies throughout, conveys a message of melancholy and hollowness. Vocally, Close is poignant, but also mysterious and ambiguous.

The accompanying music video further projects this. Cold, grey, lonely, cinematography is set against Art Brüt architecture - it’s a visual treat. You could easily enjoy this track ala carte, but there’s more to the menu, plenty of upcoming music, a novel release, touring, videos – movie?

Starframes

Nicht Vergessen was released November 2018 via Bulbart (IT) and Thinkbabymusic (GR). Follow these troubadours and see where the journey takes you and your next project.