Bec Langely and Bianca Maes are Preston Perche, a rhythmic duo hailing from Melbourne’s northern suburb of Preston.
Bec Langely and Bianca Maes are Preston Perche, a rhythmic duo hailing from Melbourne’s northern suburb of Preston. Luna is their second EP on Dog & Bear and at eight tracks long, it is a generous offering of soulfully sung, jazzed-up guitar takes and sincere ballads.
Move On opens up Luna with vibrant, fast-paced acoustic riffs and an equally punchy tambourine. Often described as lighthearted, their lyrics are sung with passion and animated expression: "The first was a coffee / Little tackers running around my feet / Babyccino all up on their faces / I swear I’m not fucking… no".
Their individual vocal contributions are extremely well-matched, harmonising wonderfully and in some cases delving into a jazz-fused scat, as evident in A Song. Their melodies rise and fall across the spectrum, bringing tracks to life with warmth and feeling. A great example of this is the lovingly-reflective Funny Love Song which acts as a bit of a catch-your-breath moment on Luna: "I don’t want to say I love you a thousand times a day / But if that’s what makes you think I do / You know I say it anyway".
Maes’ steel string is focal point in almost every track, a crisp foundation that is cleverly-accompanied by a range of percussion instruments, some at the forefront of the piece, others more subtly added. Surely the centre-piece, however, is the aforementioned vocals that never seem to tire.
A Little Bit Of Snow rounds out Luna. It is once again heartfelt; honest and open, this time lead by piano, signature harmonies and surrounded by gentle, ringing chimes and grounding toms. Why Luna wasn’t developed into a full-length album is unknown, however they have set a high standard for whatever live or recorded efforts will follow.
Best Track: A Little Bit Of Snow
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Alas I Cannot Swim LAURA MARLING, Carbon Glacier LAURA VEIRS, Momento BEBEL GILBERTO
In A Word: Colourful
Label : Dog & Bear
JOHN DONALDSON
