Marriages
Salome

It is difficult to place Marriages into a precise musical genre, and indeed here on the side, you will see a rather long list of genres that are sometimes quite distant from each other.

This is because in the debut full-length of Marriages (a band formed by ex-members of Red Sparowes) there is a delightful blend of different styles, united by the liquid and sensual voice of Emma Ruth Rundle, which enhances every change of style in each track of the album. Salome arrives two years after the excellent EP Kitsune, which traveled on decidedly shoegaze shores. In this new album, however, the Los Angeles band dares more, pushing further.

In the delicate "Skin", their hands dive into the 1980s post-punk, into that dreamy and ethereal darkwave of the Cocteau Twins. Emma Ruth dominates the scene with a spectacular voice that is now low and quiet, now rising, and now whispering again. The specter of Liz Fraser (voice of the Cocteau Twins) is felt, it almost seems like she is the one weaving the web of notes on which Emma then walks confidently and decisively.

In "Southern Eye" a post-rock backdrop appears, with the grey and black shades of metal. The rhythmic section has a metal edge close to the style of labelmates Russian Circles and the powerful Deafheaven, and Emma's voice once again takes the reins of the track, hypnotizing the listener and never being overwhelmed by the intricate musical plots of synth, guitar, bass, and drums. The melodic "Binge" shows the band's more shoegaze vein, with a tight central refrain that once again leaves a rusty taste of post-metal in the mouth. The bucolic and gothic atmospheres of this track also recall the wonderful Chelsea Wolfe, who is increasingly becoming a master of style and refinement. Elegance that continues in "Love, Texas" and that flows into the pure sensuality of the closing track, "Contender", where Emma's voice turns into scratching carnal whispers.

The independent label Sargent House has hit the mark again, taking under its wing another splendid band to be proud of. Salome is the union of all the genres and all the bands that the American label has launched over time. Marriages have that exact sound expected from Sargent House, and we couldn't be happier. From post-punk to metal, from shoegaze to post-rock, Marriages satisfy everyone, leaving with this album the feeling that we will hear a lot about them in the future.