Words by Captain’s Bar events manager, Say Something Music label owner and promoter Scott Evans
Angel B Valentine are an alternative pop/rock duo comprising Jess (originally from Stoke) and Jamie, who both bring their unique knowledge of genre and music allowing them to create an impactful and fully realised sound. Their music is delicately balanced by their eclectic range of influences ranging from Pop and Indie to Shoegaze and Punk. Come Undone is the follow up to their debut single Parasite and is a very different proposition to that debut.
Whereas Parasite had its roots very much in pop and used a sound palette of synths amongst its composition, Come Undone is an unapologetic grunge guitar driven anthem. That’s not to say that it is any less catchy or tuneful.
“You turn me down like a radio, to soften my soul, I could almost come undone,” is a beautiful line that enriches an already heartfelt delivery. The duo says the song “draws deep from the well of personal experience, delving into the heartbreak of toxic relationships and the painful dulling of one’s inner light” – a common theme for a lot of songs but Angel B Valentine do it well and what really will stay with you is the vocal melody in the chorus. Yes, it’s one of those you will be humming whilst doing the household chores.
Underpinning the vocals is a gorgeous soundscape of guitars, saturated in the way My Bloody Valentine creates their sonic genius. The song is produced by up and coming London based producer Georgia Fullalove, who also produced the debut single and she has done a great job. I am a real fan of the song arrangement, plenty of dynamics as demonstrated in the closing bars with its layers of guitar, solo and vocal.
The song opens with some distorted echo guitar before settling into a more commercial gentle sounding strummed verse which helps to launch a great sounding pre chorus, I particularly like the bass and lead guitar in this section and then that leads to that fabulous chorus.
What a future release may sound like is anyone’s guess with the first two sounding very different, but I like that, keeps things interesting and allows the band not to get stuck in any particular genre. Come Undone is a real triumph of a single and for me really put the duo on my radar to listen out for future releases.
