Hailing from South London, Helve are an experimenting indie five-piece. Having met at college in Croydon, they have gone on to be championed by John Kennedy (Radio X).
Let’s check out what they have been up to:
Snakes and Ladders
Dark science-fiction soundscapes collide with lo-fi Mogwai guitars and an impending sense of Armageddon! At points, they tantalise you with lush riffs and accessible vocals before just pivoting to new planes.
It’s challenging but always rewarding. Twisting from the lowlight licks of The XX to the underrated electronic folk of Buswell, and climaxing with a soul-crushing crescendo of brass., this is the sound of a band with the ability and the willingness to try anything.
As yet unreleased, you can enjoy a snippet of the song from their New Cross Inn gig last year.
Cabin Fever
You can buy the single here.
With the renowned producer Harri Chambers (Bess Atwell & Yard Act) at the helm, the band continues their Lo-fi indie jazz adventures.
With the 4am brushstrokes of Massive Attack and Portishead and savage self-reflection within the lyrics, they display a creative courage way beyond their years. The lyrics, border on character assignation and, who can honestly say hasn’t had that period during lockdown? The trepidation of the narrative is enhanced immeasurably with the lush nods to Mogwai and Mercury Rev.
*Image courtesy of Rocklands TV