PARTY
Make no mistake about it, Envelopes are different. The first voice heard on new single "Party" is that of singer Henrik letting rip with a yodel: yes, that's right, a yodel. And before you've noticed, the song will have marched through its own loud-quiet-loud mash of Pixies, Belle and Sebastian and 77 era Talking Heads, even somehow referencing Bonnie Tyler along the way; "Once upon a time I was falling in love / now I'm only falling apart / totally fucked from the start."
This, utterly unique vision of modern pop music is what Envelopes excel at. Perhaps listening to Envelopes' music is a similar experience to seeing Flaming Lips live for the first time. Everything is there - including the kitchen sink - but it's been put in its own peculiar order, making it sometimes hard to understand but always somehow familiar. It's unfashionable, but timeless, meticulously created but frayed around the edges.
"Party" is taken from the band's tour de force of an album, 'Here Comes the Wind'. Set to be released in February 2008, the LP is the band's second album and in its creation the band have clearly taken in all things beloved to them - B52's, Yo La Tengo, Os Mutantes, Nico, Bob Hund and Stereolab all spring to mind - distilling them through their own, skewed pop filter to create a sound that reminds you of all your favourite bands, but ultimately sounds like no-one but themselves.
Envelopes' story is as unusual as their music. Living in Stockholm, Malmo and Paris the band fought geography, and won: spending enough time together during school holidays to home-record their album of demos 'Demon', released very quietly on the newly formed Brille Records in late 2005. 'Demon' suggested Envelopes were certainly the most promising band to emerge out of Sweden and France (via York) ever, and 'Here Comes The Wind' proves it beyond a doubt.
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