Mano’s Daughter’s latest EP “Shiver” presents a darker, more cerebral side to the London-based electro trio. With these five tracks, it marks a busy end to the year for the band as they retreat into Autumnal hibernation.
Their previous EP, “Smart” was bright and poppy—it was the “Jessie Ware-esque end” of the female fronted electro pop crossover genre with intelligent, sparkling tunes that glittered in the gloom. This latest EP starts with the same pace as “What’s A Girl Supposed To Do” bursts into life and invigorates with an energetic opening. However, this is only the start of our journey as the band take us down darker paths as the EP journeys on.
“Wheels” is the first step into the unknown as Sarah Carter’s vocals soar and penetrate the dark empty spaces, forcing us to listen closer. “Little Heart” opens the door for a little melancholy and with “This House,” it’s hard not to imagine Sarah beautifully lit in a smokey alien lounge somewhere on a distant futuristic plain—a little Blade Runner—and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, it’s their epic track “You” that gives us an indication of where the band will take us next. The track spans just over 7-minutes and feels like the band are truly blasting us off into a dreamy soundscape, on a moon somewhere far away. It’s beautiful.
Although there’s an abundance of strong female fronted electro crossover acts at the moment, Mano’s Daughter’s unique genre blending, electro sci-fi melancholia is a breath of fresh air. The EP is a bold statement of intent and wherever the band blasts off to next, we want to go with them.
