An Emerald City - Debut, Self Titled E.P.
15 Apr 2008 // A review by johnsoncraigsbc
An Emerald City showcases mastery musicianship with a seamless blend of traditional instruments, spawning an easy listening, instrumental collaboration of styles in this self titled, debut extended play.
Commencing the four track E.P. is repetitive strumming and bells that fill out into the progressive mastery of ‘A Thousand Stars At Night’, following into the rhythmic journey of ‘Quig Song’- the highlight of the extended play.
An Emerald City provokes thought of eastern wonderlands and the fruitful array of resplendence is has to offer. Plucking guitars and twanging strings entice along with whining violins and sitars, perfectly fitting for the scene in The Mummy where they first discover the vastness of the desert or wander casually yet in a state of wonderment through the bazaars.
This teaser is a taste of what An Emerald City can churn out, and the long play to follow will hopefully allow for some freedom with the progressive nature of their work so far.
4.8/5
Craig Johnson
About An Emerald City
Since their inception in late 2005, Auckland band An Emerald City have strived for musical experimentation and liberation. Organic instrumentation and sounds of the east meet psychedelia with guitars and violin are at the centre of this original and unique 6 piece.
The summer of 2007/2008 unleashed an array of summer performances that included the likes of: Soundsplash, Rhythm and Vines, bFM’s Summer Series and Shore Sounds. WOMAD saw An Emerald City perform to over 1200 people across their two performances. This is also where NZers and the world got their first opportunity to purchase a slice of An Emerald City - their debut self titled EP.
The 4 track EP features two of the bNet favourites Qing Song (also featured as Karen Walker’s opening track at New York Fashion Week) and A Thousand Stars At Night recorded at Clockwork Studios in Auckland with Nick Taylor. The EP also included two new songs Mr. Finn and the new single A Question recorded at Roundhead Studios with Liam Finn and Jol Mulholland. The sriking original artwork is by Mr. Will Handley.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for An Emerald City