Single Review: Honeyglaze – Burglar
Aran Grover reviews Honeyglaze’s debut single ‘Burglar’.
Honeyglaze are a trio from London, who have just released their debut single ‘Burglar’ on the famed indie label, Speedy Wunderground. Speedy has given rise to groups such as black midi and Black Country, New Road, and is renowned for an affiliation with The Windmill in Brixton. A pub and venue with a history of avante-garde and experimental music, they pride themselves on booking artists on quality of music rather than popularity or success. Honeyglaze have been formed out in the creative fires of this South London rock scene, citing jazz, 60s soul and 90s dream pop as influences on their sound.
‘Burglar’ is a clean, jazzy, cohesive guitar-driven ballad with some great performances all-round. The guitar sounds like Bloc Party meeting OK Computer with a modern glaze, some nice chord changes and sparkly tones. At first the drums are laid back, jazzy, with obvious skill underneath them. There’s a plethora of interesting sounds lower in the mix, creating a rich soundscape, no doubt courtesy of producer Dan Carey.
compelling melodies and interesting lyrics
Arriving at the chorus, drums speed up with an intensifying groove, facilitating a needed change in energy, perpetuated by some shimmering crashes playing nicely with the hazy, soft vocals. Though there is more energy, the track isn’t particularly loud. It is classy, low-key, and controlled, sounding like something to which one would close their eyes and rhythmically sway.
It doesn’t particularly reinvent the wheel, nor does it sound much different to their predecessors. ‘Burglar’ hosts compelling melodies and interesting lyrics ‘based around a Bukowski poem’, that the band elaborates on as feeling like “being half-awake before dawn and waiting alone for the clarity of morning. It drifts between calm and anxiety, between dream and consciousness”[1].
As writers with intent and musicians with skill, this winding jazz-rock track proves Honeyglaze as one to watch in the future.
[1] https://beatsperminute.com/speedy-wunderground-signees-honeyglaze-take-us-into-a-restless-night-in-the-tempestuous-debut-single-burglar/