The Orielles
Disco Volador


4.0
excellent

Review

by SandwichBubble USER (84 Reviews)
April 26th, 2020 | 27 replies


Release Date: 2020 | Tracklist

Review Summary: The funky indie/psychedelic pop/disco blend of your dreams has arrived.

Halifax’s the Orielles have a fairly standard origin story, at least as far as indie acts go. Sisters Esmé Dee and Sidonie Hand-Halford met guitarist Henry Wade at a party, started playing music together, and have been playing together ever since. Wholesome stuff and all, but this standard origin story does bring a very important issue to light: they didn’t really stand out very much. And that sadly reflected in their earliest work together. Let me be clear: I enjoy their work prior to Disco Volador. So much so that I’m in the middle of a crusade to find their earliest work under their original “Oreoh!s” moniker. The search is ongoing if you’re wondering.

But for a saturated music market, one where amazing indie pop is no further away than a few clicks, the Orielles was not a very big draw. Their debut (2018’s Silver Dollar Moment) was met with a wave of faint praise from listeners, with the consensus being that it was a bit lacking in confidence. They never truly commit to a certain sound on that album and it definitely shows. Still, it was a decent enough groundwork. Now that they were out there, it was time to find an identity. Something that would make them stand out from the crowd. And apparently, what they came up with was mainstream 70’s disco and Space Age pop.

I’ll admit, I definitely wasn’t expecting a modern band to take inspiration from such an odd place. Mainly with the space theme, which in my opinion, is a bit overstated. There are elements of that golden retro-futuristic pop sound on Disco Volador, but it takes more from the 1970s than it takes from the 1950s. It’s hard to describe the sound on this album without immediately reaching for obvious similar groups, but the album’s described on their Bandcamp as a combination of samba, disco, funk, and (inexplicably) 90s acid house. Not sure about that last one, but it does show just how many new influences have been pressed into Disco Volador. But while there are a lot of new elements to be found here, the Orielles’ early sound still acts as the bedrock. It’s just given a little more to experiment with is all. A perfect example of this is “A Material Mistake”, a psychedelic disco number that manages to mesh wonderfully their indie pop sensibilities. This new direction is a sign that the trio has become a lot more confident, with a firm grasp on their direction; a far cry from their uneasy first outing.

Disco Volador is the ideal sophomore record other bands dream of: calm, collected, and a proper extension of the group’s past sound. It’s not without its flaws, and I’m sure it won’t catch everyone’s heart, but the Orielles have done it. They’ve made a bold, flashy maneuver and stuck the landing. I’m eager to see what they do next, because this one will be hard to top.



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Comments:Add a Comment 
SandwichBubble
April 26th 2020


13849 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Stream: https://theorielles.bandcamp.com/album/disco-volador

Fashionably-late review.

Dewinged
Staff Reviewer
April 26th 2020


32191 Comments


I have rated their last album so I guess I know them.

Fashionably-late (nice) review. [2]

GhandhiLion
April 26th 2020


17678 Comments


Good review

rabidfish
April 26th 2020


8785 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

nice. I liked their previous record better, mostly because it was more catchy. This is still a really fun album.

SandwichBubble
April 26th 2020


13849 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

@Dewi And this one is better (in my opinion), so you should check this one too. Complete the set.

Don't blame you for forgetting them, but I guarantee you'll remember them after checking this.

And thank you both.



@rabid I thought this one was 10x as catchy as that last one. I'm humming "Whilst The Flowers Look" as we speak.

rabidfish
April 26th 2020


8785 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

i should probably re-listen disco volador, but i don't remember it having catchy songs like mango, old stuff, new glass, let your dog tooth grow, liminal spaces or only bought it for the bottle.

GhandhiLion
April 26th 2020


17678 Comments


recommended by reviewer
🚀 🪐
👽 🖖
🤝 ☮

GhandhiLion
April 26th 2020


17678 Comments


wow their debut is very different. I never checked it.

SandwichBubble
April 26th 2020


13849 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

@rabid Maybe this one's less catchier overall (not convinced), but it's got a lot more going on than that first one. I'd say recheck it.



@ghandhi preview of my new sci-fi novel, coming soon.

And yeah, it's a sound change, but I think it's for the better.

Not sure how they'll follow this up though.

rabidfish
April 26th 2020


8785 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

re-listening rn. I dunno, man. Feels slower, less immediate. Don't think it works in its favour. I still enjoy it for what it is and i do agree, it's got a bit more of a distinct sound to it.

Still think i'll end up enjoying their debut more, but i respect this one a lot.

SandwichBubble
April 26th 2020


13849 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

"Feels slower, less immediate."

Play it at 2x the speed?



rabidfish
April 26th 2020


8785 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

it's less an issue of actual speed and more a subjective experience that results from it not grabbing my attention immediately like most of the songs on their previous record did.

SandwichBubble
April 26th 2020


13849 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Add your own lyrics?

SandwichBubble
April 26th 2020


13849 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Just realized Sacred Paws' Run Around the Sun and this have the same color scheme.

Maybe I just like orange and green.

rabidfish
April 26th 2020


8785 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

the cover art is cool as fuck, love it.

SandwichBubble
April 26th 2020


13849 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

How's this for a twist? I think the art for their first album is a bit better.

Freaky friday-type stuff happening.

parksungjoon
April 26th 2020


47231 Comments


how am i the first pos? for shame, sput, for shame

this sounds v intriguing, cheers for the writeup!

JesperL
Staff Reviewer
April 26th 2020


5684 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

have a second pos, good to see a review for this!



i think i like this more than their debut overall, though nothing here tops dog tooth's chorus

SandwichBubble
April 26th 2020


13849 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Thanks both.

This really needs some ratings.

OmairSh
April 27th 2020


17741 Comments


"funky indie/psychedelic pop/disco blend"

This sounds intriguing. Pos'd fam

Also nice avatar hah



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