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Elara

Soundtrack For A Quiet Place EP

Written by: DR on 09/04/2013 12:36:18

Although Elara has technically been around since 2008 when Luigi Cerbone used the name under which to release an EP titled "Starry Night in a Cold November", the band as it is now has only been together since 2011. So, for all intents and purposes, the "Soundtrack For A Quiet Place" EP should be regarded as their debut, and a solid one at that.

If you've ever listened to post-rock giants Explosions in the Sky and/or God Is An Astronaut, or any of the many bands their influence spawned, Elara's sound is one that will be familiar to you. Though it is post-rock as by-the-numbers as you're likely to hear, Elara have created something worth listening to because there's nothing poorly executed about it, impressively so for a release so early in the band's career. With "Me and You Under the Aurora Borealis" and "We Are Infinite" Elara cover the usual ground, the delicate build up of piano and guitar-work followed by a serene sky-gazing crescendo, and they do so with colour and confidence enough for it to be considered pretty. "Seljalandsfoss", the stand-out song, is more energetic in its rhythms and has a greater sense of dynamics, ultimately leading to a swirling climax - the best moment of the EP and one that genuinely captures your attention.

It's their debut EP and it's only 17 minutes long, so we shouldn't expect Elara to be pushing the envelope just yet, but "Soundtrack For A Quiet Place" is a solid foundation on which for them to build. The approach Elara take is tried and tested, so it's not something we've yet to hear before, but their sound is tidy and they have got the fundamentals of the genre down, and that is always a good starting place.

Download: Seljalandsfoss
For The Fans of: Explosions in the Sky, Moonlit Sailor, Sunlight Ascending, God Is An Astronaut
Listen: Facebook

Release Date 01.02.2013
Fluttery Records