Sacred Animals, Welcome Home EP is a real gem. This highly secretive band rarely play gigs and little is known of its members. However, they played two fantastic sets at this years Electric Picnic festival and as they prepare to officially release their debut EP this month, it has spread like wild-fire around Dublin’s musical elite and record label interest if said to be fierce. Welcome Home opens with Wired Islands a cross between The Eels and Radiohead it begins with an “E” style electric piano line soon joined by strings and a haunting vocal Thom Yorke would surly approve of “A rest will come, islands less inhabitants, with one eye on the prize, executed plans, pursued by passengers” Chosen Seed is reminiscent of Virgin Suicides era Air a sparse arrangement of arpeggiated guitar, bongos, rim-shots, tambourine and mallets, build a tense sound scape allowing the vocals to wash over us “Are you scared of what you said Well you’re not the only one” is a truly dread filled refrain. While title track Welcome Home is built upon a bed of static and percussive sounds looped and long deep piano notes syncopated by a simple bell melody. Sigur Ros’s influence looms large on the final track Still Removed. Once again the lyrics are dark full of self loathing, neurosis, and paranoia “What’s the point in boxing clever, All I see is all you are. It’s the flaws that make the man & you are an imperfect star” The intelligent use of different instruments in short bursts throughout all of Sacred Animals songs set them apart from other bands as does the cryptic mindset of the lyrics Welcome Home is a post apocalyptic triumph and better still its available to download free from bandcamp. http://sacredanimals.net/
