Aquilo // Silhouettes

The members of Aquilo grew up across the street from one another as members of rival bands in the scenic Lake District of England. This fierce competition led to the complete honing of two extraordinarily talents learning to work with each other, instead of against. This developed harmony is ever present in their swirling soundscapes and electronic tapestries within their music. After four years of work, the duo dropped Silhouettes, a dreamy and cinematic experience that makes this debut record such a breakthrough.

Aquilo immediately shows off their talents for lovelorn storytelling within the first few seconds of Silhouettes. The collision of lead singer Ben Fletcher’s vocals with Tom Higham's instrumentation comes together to create a lush atmosphere powered by the voluble ambition of the two counterweights. Ben delivers his vocals with such sincerity, that it's as if we’re eavesdropping into his innermost thoughts, while Tom's instrumentation manages a careful balance between profuse beauty and minimal execution.

Each of their songs are chapters of a haunting experience that's forlorn, but never exhausting in its execution. The lyrics sheets demonstrate artists longing for loved ones, with a level of emotional maturity and intelligence that can often lack in love songs. Silhouettes resonates with the listener, placing them within a layered spectrum of bereft emotions. From Human, with its extreme vulnerability to the secluded nature of Never Gonna Hurt Again, the pair’s captivating harmonies come together effortlessly on their debut album. Overall, each track is a kaleidoscope of utter beauty made from gorgeous arrangements that fit together perfectly with pure poetry.

Outstanding in its audible beauty, Silhouettes captivates most when the varied tempo and instrumentation of their production align with the narrative complex relationship within the lyrics. For Aquilo, their brand of electronic pop is cinematic, their debut album is complete, but their story has just started.

Listen to Silhouettes