CHVRCHES
By Sanai Meles Initially, the members of Glasgow-based synth pop group Chvrches may appear to be an odd combination.Lead vocalist Lauren Mayberry, the lone female in the group, is the youngest at 25 years old and holds a plethora of educational degrees, while bandmates Iain Cook (synthesizer, guitar, bass, vocals) and Martin Doherty (synthesizer, samplers, vocals) were musical journeymen that found themselves involved in a few rock bands before forming Chvrches. Mayberry was previously involved in a few bands, including performing as a singer for indie band Blue Sky Archives.It was in this setting that she would meet Cook, who was producing an EP for the group. The band becamefully realized when Cook, looking to put together an electronic-based group, asked Mayberry to sing ona couple of demos for him and Doherty.The demos proved to be successful, and Chvrches came into fruition.The group’s arrival on the scene would be marked by the release with the release of their song “Lies” (which is included on debut album The Bones of What You Believe) in May 2012.[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/42310861" params="color=ff6600&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]The song garnered widespread attention in the blogosphere and social media, and how could it not? Opening with bursting synths, Mayberry’s sweet, powerful vocals soar and sweep across the track in an electronic whirlwind.Chvrches has drawn comparisons to other acts like Purity Ring, a pretty reasonable comparison with the similar female lead vocals and synth base.But, as Cook puts it in an interview with Pitchfork, “Purity Ring are a lot more obscure in terms of their melodies — they try to bury their hooks a lot deeper, whereas we want our melodies to be upfront and immediate.”The Bones of What You Believe, released via Virgin Records, finds the band further embracing the formula of “Lies:” hook-filled, precise and favoring a big sound.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mTRvJ9fugMChvrches performs like a traditional rock band that solely utilizes electronic sounds — not a farfetched statement considering their previous musical backgrounds.Some critics describe Chvrches’ music as “soulless,” and that the synth base lacks a certain expressivity. It’s a leveled criticism that’s understandable.In the contemporary soundscape where electronic music is hitting its peak in popularity and has become accessible to just about anyone and everyone, production can falter.However, Chvrches doesn’t falter in our modern culture. As group that seems to fully understand the potential of their setup, Chvrches looks to make pop music that, as Kitty Empire of The Observer noted, is “accessible” and “only just short of truly brilliant.”Photo by Eliot Hazel.