VÄLVĒ – Tiny Pilots

Slowfoot

Multi-instrumentalist Chlöe Herington has moved through the multi faceted likes of Chrome Hoof and Knifeworld before alighting at VÄLVĒ, an opportunity for her, along with fellow Chrome Hoof alumnus Emma Sullivan, to explore more literary-minded and progressive ideas that don’t necessarily fit into the various collaborations of which she is part.

Her vocal ability along with mastery of guitar, piano, synths and glockenspiel means that Tiny Pilots is a real exploration of sound that sits outside of the common ground, and soaks up influences from friends and guests who bring along a further profusion of instruments.

Being based in Wiltshire seems to bring a further sense of mystery and mystical unease to pieces that roam the border between the quotidian and esoteric with ease. Like a rural one-woman Radiophonic Workshop, Chlöe constructs imaginative and allusive journeys that pick at abstract thought along the way.

The motorised clockwork opening of the album sets quite a scene, a subtle reminder of a mind at work off the beaten track, while Emma’s elegant post-punk bass sits at odds with the sweet piano droplets that accompany Chlöe’s recounting of a childhood dream. There is something oddly removed about the vocal delivery, as if this information was essential but needed to be delivered as simply as possible, with just an element of threat. The intrigue of the lyrics stands out and that is the case throughout the album.

The juxtaposition of instruments as Tiny Pilots progresses gives the tracks a lot of their allure and also their mystery; “Gertrude’s List” is a slow shuffle that pairs horn with harpsichord for a rather pastoral but overwhelmed edge, while the romantic acoustic guitar of “Man In The Moon” allies with rocky drums and bells to give a warmer vibe, something which is echoed in Chlöe’s vocals.

However, they are not afraid to allow a song to navigate its own path without vocal assistance if needs be; the simple and hypnotic rhythmic keyboard of’ “Red Moon Rising”, with its scatty electronics and Alice In Wonderland imagery is at odds with the sleepier electronica of “The Ice House (Revisited)”, which is replete with sinister hints that go unresolved.

There are reminders of a more reserved and sparer Pram in the subterranean ambience of “Atmos#4” and in this watery world, it is the little touches that imbue it with such a sense of calm. It drifts beautifully, a feeling that is preceded by the lullaby of “Lights (Sparkled)”. Here, two voices marry with an uplifting sensibility that is draped with piano and strings.

It is fair to say that the variation across tracks is unexpected and delightful, moving from vocal to instrumental at whim, but nothing quite prepares you for the gorgeously downbeat and heartachingly poignant cover of Maggie Holland‘s anti-Gulf War paean “Perfumes Of Arabia”; over a doomy minimalist harmonium backing, Chlöe’s voice is filled with the sense of portent and guilt, and as the track wheezes to its conclusion so it magnifies the dramatic journey that has come before.

A real work of value and love, Tiny Pilots defies easy categorisation and is best experienced is you just immerse yourself.

-Mr Olivetti-