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If the combination of dark pop and low-fi, garage rock makes your ears prick up, then we’ve found the artist for you! Gabriella Cohen, one half of Brisbane duo Furrs, has been creating her own unique sound, and is ready to share it with the world with her debut album Full Closure and No Details. The album is set to be released on Friday the 4th of March 2016, and features 10 niche tracks which place Cohen on a song writing pedestal.
If you don’t know her name yet, then commit Gabriella Cohen to memory. Her debut Full Closure and No Details is one of the most nuanced releases of 2016.
Cohen self-recorded and produced the LP over 10 days in South East Queensland, with the help of her partner in crime, Kate Dillon. The euphoric sounds of the album have been structured around the influences of artists such as Lou Reed, Dory Previn and Kevin Parker, featuring honest lyricism, a nostalgic vocal tone, hymnal organ accompaniment and punchy guitar riffs.
Cohen has received well deserved praise for her singles from the LP, I Don’t Feel So Alive, Sever the Walls and Yesterday from triple J’s David Ruby Howe – “Gabriella can be relied upon for keeping our ears hanging on just that little bit longer with her honest to goodness charm and pull as a performer.”
I Don’t Feel So Alive is the second track from the album and introduces Cohen’s distinct euphoria and intimate lyrics, easing audiences into the distinct world she creates with her music. The tone is dreary and the vocals are purposefully a quiver under pitch, enhancing Cohen’s quirky aura. Sever the Walls follows to up the anti. The electric guitar is indeed much more muffled and distorted, hinting at garage rock grunge. The vocal line contrasts the accompaniment with its delicate tone, yet remains sunken and somewhat ghostly; layers of echoed, haunting voices raising the hair on your arms.
One thing about this album which can’t be praised enough is the diversity and dynamic of sounds. In Piano Song Cohen steers away from her typical use of rock instruments, and funnily enough features a piano as the sole accompaniment for this track. The song grabs your attention right from the beginning, with the unexpected introduction which is the feathering of two piano keys. The vocals are lowered and accompanied by an enchanting backing vocal to concrete the dark and sombre tone.
Another shock from the album is an entirely instrumental piece, titled Dream Song. The music which follows certainly lives up to the songs title, and will leave you in a calm and dream-like state. The intricate yet simple guitar sounds provide a pleasant break to fulfill the audiences listening experience, creating a holistic journey through the realm of Cohen’s musical abilities.
After performing live at BIGSOUND in 2015, NME praised Cohen for her authenticity and onstage demeanour, stating “They don’t seem to be playing for cool points.” This is reinstated with an interesting addition to the LP, This Could Be Love. Whilst at first not sounding too dissimilar from many of the other tracks, as the song nears its end the audience is reminded just how authentic Cohen really is, with the collation of many sounds which are unexpected, to say the least. A singing crowd, conversational talking, cackling laughter, a barking dog and a mooing cow creating a ruckus of audio. The harmonica and snare drum keep it musical, however all in all a nice touch of the outside world brought into Cohen’s bubble of musical wonders.
For an album that is yet to be released and supposed to be Full Closure and No Details, we’ve certainly revealed a few of its hidden treasures and musical nooks to look out for! Cohen’s song writing has excelled expectations, and there is definitely more to be discovered in this debut album- be sure to check it out next month and support this crazy talent from our own backyards!
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