Out Now

Released on: Exceptional Records


Too many cooks spoil the broth, they say.  Try telling that to Black Diamond Bay: there are seven of them, including two singers.  But does their music leave a bad taste in the mouth?

On debut album Come The Desert, the Leeds-based septet dabble in trip-hop, folktronica and electro anthems.  It’s a peculiar mix which often doesn’t work, but just as often does.

I Dreamt We Were Bank Robbers sounds like a long-lost Bond theme, all sultry vocals and tinkling piano; Speak Slow is an Ibiza hit in waiting, with fizzing synths which recall Justice or Basement Jaxx.  The folky Babydoll Loose is tender and beautiful, while The Levels, which begins brooding and slow before accelerating into a bleeping rave-style climax, is bat-shit crazy.

It’s when rules are followed instead of broken that things become tedious. Cold sounds like a crap jazz band warming up; the earnest electro-rock of previous single Worship The Sun is noisy but goes nowhere. The plodding Philharmonic Bubbles, meanwhile, is more chip-shop than trip-hop.

Come The Desert is by no means perfect, but its quirky strengths outweigh its boring weaknesses.  Black Diamond Bay may yet have a sparkling future ahead of them.  Ones to watch.

7/10

Posted In Album Reviews, Apr 22 2011. Words - Adam Kay