Cat’s Eyes
Treasure house
RAF/Kobalt
No doubt a result of writing
the soundtrack to Peter Strickland’s 2014 film, The Duke Of Burgundy, the second collaboration between The Horrors’
Faris Badwan and songwriter Rachel Zeffira is a cinematic affair. Following on
from Cat’s Eye’s eponymous 2011 debut, Treasure
House is lush and dark, it ebbs and flows, as expansive as it is intimate
and cosy.
Equal parts dreamy soundscape
and punk aesthetic, imbued with a poppishness that softens the edges, it’s a
record which begs repeated listens. It eases you in with the swirling title
track and Drag, before catching you
off guard with the more urgently delivered Be
Careful Where You Park Your Car and Standoff.
The latter are where the punk first comes in, and it’s the mark of a carefully
considered album that they don’t seem out of place.
Zeffira’s voice is exquisite,
at times as fragile as eggshell, while Badwan’s is stronger although no less
dreamy. The use of strings throughout is a fine touch,
working particularly well on The Missing Hour, as is the mainly
electronic backing, although it does grate in some instances. Overall though,
an enjoyable sonic journey.
3.5/5
Samuel J. Fell
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