QR music review: parcels prove their groove with infectious debut

5/5

Born in Australia, based in Germany, and signed to French label Kitsuné, Parcels are a band with an imbedded international perspective. This aids their debut album, simply titled Parcels, to feel much bigger than the sum of the parts of each of the band's five members. On the back of praise from prominent music sites such as DIY, The Line of Best Fit, and NME, the pressure was on for Parcels to deliver a full-length bursting with ingenuity.

Self-produced and written by the band in Berlin, the twelve tracked rollercoaster that is Parcelsis brimming with Chic-inspired vocals and guitar licks, juxtaposed exquisitely with a Daft Punk-style of production and electronic delivery. Coming to such a professionally developed sound took a lot of dedication and graft from each member, mind you. Their move to Berlin from Australia meant the members had a lot of time to practice - every day, in fact - which, when it came to writing and recording their debut, resulted in 14-hour-long days in the studio. It was all worth it though, when the band developed a super-tight sound and brought their groove fuelled electronic funk to a plethora of gigs across Europe. At one of these gigs (a showcase in Paris established by their new-found label Kitsuné), the sound of Parcels grabbed the attention of Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk fame. This led to the duo producing the band's first infectious single, 'Overnight', in June 2017.

Following this, Parcels seemed to hit the jackpot. It seems only to be expected that the new band who have their first single produced by arguably the biggest electronic duo in the world would go on to great things. Their album has not even been released yet, and the band have a performance at Glastonbury Festival 2017, their first US TV performance on Conan, and an interview with BBC Radio 1 under their belt. All of this success is well deserved, and the music truly speaks for itself. From the first notes of opener 'Comedown', the listener is brought in to a bubble of sound. It seems almost like a funk-fuelled Tame Impala track, with melodic harmonies from all band members driving the song forward.

This continues into 'Lightenup', the second single released before the album's release. From the offset, this track is explicitly disco-funk influenced, with Nile Rogers-style guitar playing shining through. Textures and instrumentation are shaken up moving into 'Withorwithout' and 'Everyroad'. The former maintains the trademark harmonies but adds a softer sound, mirrored through the mandolin standing out in the track. It shows a more tender side to Parcels lyrically, focusing on whether an individual is better inside or outside of romance. It speaks of an inner struggle with commitment, and deals with the subject matter beautifully.

'Everyroad' shakes things up slightly. A slow-building, distant disco fuelled beat is disrupted by a spoken word introduction, describing a physical place to act as a representation of mental solitude. Music penned and beautifully matched to the location the band members continually describe, the 8-minute long track is a stand-out mid-way through the album, exploring feelings of hope, mental clarity and tranquility achieved through a level of solitude. It is a wonderfully put together piece; a track that makes you sit up straight and think.

Parcels have received comparisons to bands such as The Beach Boys. This comparison didn't make much sense to me - how could a band so embedded in a funk pop groove be anything like them? I thought this until I heard their track 'Exotica', anyway. The song opens with intricate five-piece harmonies over a simple acoustic guitar and bells, reminiscent of the experimental era of The Beach Boys. This is a sound Parcels toy with and bring up-todate, showing their versatility in making great sounds regardless of genre.

Parcels is an album full of delights and funk-fuelled masterpieces. The production, writing, and musicality on display is second-to-none, and it's impressive to see a debut album so consistent and genuine. Due to be released on Friday 12th October, Parcels is sure to make your Autumn days seem less dark and chilly, with sun-bathed vibes aplenty to carry you through into the light.

By Jane Corscadden