ThisThenThisThenThis: Volume 1

This Then This Then This is a listening exercise. You are presented with three albums arranged in a specific order where the first and last are not all that similar but the second one contains enough common elements from the others to link them together. It is strongly encouraged that you listen to all three albums in succession (in one sitting if possible) and connect your own dots before reading further to see what common threads brought these all together in my head.

In Volume 1 of this series, we explore how Holy Hive’s self-titled Album ties together Midlake’s The Courage of Others with El Michels Affair’s Adult Themes. As a self described “Folk Soul” band and artist on Leon Michels’ Big Crown Records, it is no surprise Holy Hive is able to bridge the gap between these two incredible albums.

The Courage of Others ➪ Holy Hive

Vocals

• Both Tim Smith of Midlake and Paul Spring of Holy Hive come from a folk music background and it is evident in the way they deliver their vocals. The lines of their songs are delivered in an impactful yet subdued manner à la Simon and Garfunkel.  Many of the vocal melodies lean heavily on returning to a single note or remaining there for extended phrases. This also plays well into the overall dreamy quality of both albums. Some of the most obvious examples of Holy Hive’s vocals mirroring The Courage of Others are “Ain’t That the Way”, “Deadly Valentine”, “A Wind Rose”, and “Great Chains”.

Rhythmic Elements

• As mentioned in the above section, these two albums often evoke dreamlike feelings. One of the most important factors in this are the rhythmic structures of many of the songs. If you were to listen to Midlake’s “Children of the Ground” directly into Holy Hive’s “Deadly Valentine” you may just inadvertently slip into a trance. Both songs have an incredibly cyclical and hypnotic style where many layers build on top of and then recede from a repeating guitar part. Song structures like this are heavily prevalent in other tracks like Midlake’s “The Courage of Others” and “Small Mountain” and Holy Hive’s “Ain’t That the Way” and “Golden Crown”.

Instrument Selection

• One last standout similarity between these two albums is the instruments included and how they are combined. On a majority of tracks there is a blend of both acoustic guitars and other stringed instruments and electric guitars. To further the folksy and mythical sound of these albums some more non-traditional rock instruments like flutes, recorders, and harpsichords fill out the lush productions.

Holy Hive ➪ Adult Themes

Soul/Hip Hop Flavor

• A constant thought I had when first listening to either of these albums was “somebody should sample this!”. El Michels affair has some deep connections to hip-hop and soul through projects with members of the Wu-Tang Clan and Leon Michels’ association with Daptone Records and Soul Fire. Being that Holy Hive is on the same label, Big Crown (co-founded by Leon Michels), as El Michels Affair undoubtedly has some influence on them having that same built for hip-hop beats sound. I think my favorite example of tracks I am dying to hear get chopped up by RZA or The Alchemist are “Cythia’s Meditation” from Holy Hive and “A Swift Nap” or “Hipps” from Adult Themes.

Cinematic Vibe

• Every track on these albums definitely suggests a certain mood and either album would be right at home as the backing track for a quirky, indie art film. This is obviously intentional on Adult Themes as El Michels Affair is described as a “Cinematic Soul” group. This is very apparent on the opening tracks of both albums, Holy Hive’s “Color it Easy” and Adult Themes’ “Enfant”. In either instance, all that follows perfectly meets the expectations set out by these introductory songs: you are about to get some beautifully melodic and expressive songs held together by a strong rhythm section.

The Definitive Connection

Holy Hive’s “Brooklyn Ferry” is what I think is the strongest link between The Courage of Others and Adult Themes. This track opens up with a stunning, traditional folk vocal section that seamlessly slips into a super groovy soul section across only three words: “face to face”. From there it weaves in and out of the two vocal styles while pulling other folk elements, like a soft flute/recorder (I can't tell the difference...maybe it is even a Mellotron) backing melody. All of this sits on top of a funky drum rhythm and buttery bass line.