Upon first hearing the intro to the stunning Windmill [originally from Cathedral, now slightly reworked for Sketches] on the radio, it took a little while to pinpoint why it sounded so damn familiar. Grizzly Bear? Arcade Fire? It’s saying something that those mental comparisons to the giants of chamber pop didn’t seem far-fetched.
Armed primarily with a singular violin, Wintercoats utilises loops and pitch shifting pedals to generate aural magic – conjuring up a swirling array of pizzicato chirps and soaring faux-cello (cellaux?) and allowing the swell to dissipate into a soothing lull.
Instrumental track Working On A Dream plays to these strengths, crafting a powerful movement of sound with the grace of a meticulous conductor with a symphony orchestra at his feet.
Sketches looks set to propel Wintercoats from the rank of unassuming and underappreciated bedroom project to one of the brightest shining forces in contemporary Australian music.
