Opening with the evocative and charming ‘To The Wind’ Anna Jordan has the crowd assembled for SELK’s debut album launch enraptured from the get-go.
The outfit (ostensibly the duo of Jordan and Dennis Cassidy, enhanced tonight at various junctures with upright bass and backing vocals) have been garnering much attention on the back of their live performances and the plaudits heaped on Anna’s debut EP Dust. But with long-player Beast, under the SELK moniker, a creative identity to be reckoned with has been copper-fastened.
The achingly plaintive ‘Sweet One’ sees Anna solo at the piano, her poignant vocal a thing of true beauty. Elsewhere the quirky and playful ‘Been So Long’ and the exquisite rippling aural layers of ‘My Only Friend’ showcase SELK’s versatility. Tonight’s fare defies categorisation, covering a plethora of genres and styles. The emotional potency and avant garde textures of final track ‘Beasts’ bring to mind both PJ Harvey and David Byrne at moments.
Drawing from a broad sonic palette SELK’s raw, unshackled songs possess an inherent power which prove mesmerising in a live environment, mostly due to Jordan’s singular talent.