I would best describe videotapes. as ‘organized chaos’. Hailing from south London, the group champions what they call ‘noisy alt-rock’. It is partly true, but also partly not, which is a compliment – fear not. You see, their music is explosive, ferocious, fast-paced and quite stormy. At the same time, they are able to organise their chaos extremely well, delivering pieces that are frenetic in their aesthetic but logical in their execution. In other words, videotapes. have complete control over their artistic output. For instance over dynamics: their modulation ability makes it possible to switch from loud and gritty segments to absolute silence in the space of a second. That’s remarkable.
After debuting earlier this year with the alt-rock anthem ‘howl (for jane doe)’, the London talents now return with a double single, the charming ‘forest/fire’. In it, we discover a more mature sound, even in terms of production value. While ‘fire’ is a lighter offering, exploring stabs and indie motifs, ‘forest’ is proper alt-rock matter, heavy and rough in its appearance.
Notable is also the band’s musicianship; punchy, hypnotising drums join distorted guitars in providing the perfect background for videotapes.’ lead vocals to flourish. They often engage in a female/male vocals duo, which is just sublime.
A very promising band. Recommended!
Discover videotapes. on Spotify:
