Prawn

Settled [7-inch] (2014)

Max Qayyum

I've actually just covered a Prawn live show in which I said that a friend had described the band as a mixture of Brand New and Explosions in the Sky which I think is absolutely perfect.

These two songs which form the Settled 7-inch are both in the same vein as the stunning full-length Kingfisher which was released earlier in the year and is sure to make a ton of album of the year lists across the community.

On the title track, the band build at a steady pace throughout in typical Prawn fashion, before the horns kick in at the end and blow you away. This is done in typical Kingfisher fashion, and wouldn't feel out of place on that full-length.

In "Built For," the band is seen building even further on their post-rock and experimental influences; the weaving guitars and constrained vocals build up and up throughout the four-and-a-half minute affair before reaching a climax which is fitting and subtle, without being too overstated.

Prawn are a stunning band who are finally receiving some of the praise that they deserve. If these two songs are tracks which didn't make the full-length, that just goes to show how talented this band is. They're gonna go far.