DOS

My Youth are a triumvirate of musicians drawn from three separate nationalities: a pleasantly eye-catching USP in today’s music market. The group was formed in 2010 at London Music School, where Anna Lee Schmand Mallen (from Venezuela) met Sigurd Krogh Hammerum (Denmark), and the duo soon began performing together at acoustic nights in venues all over the capital. With drummer Jonathan Mynette (UK) completing the line-up, My Youth have recently been honing a sound which should particularly appeal to fans of mid-’70s alt-rock and contemporary folk groups.

DOS is the second of three EPs to be released in 2013 (following June’s One), and finds the three-piece settling comfortably into a singular sound. The four songs on offer here are all marked by a prominent mixture of hazy keys and quietly-plucked acoustics. Combined with the dovetailing vocals of Schmand Mallen and Krogh Hammerum, as well a series of measured drum timbres, the outcome is a gentle aural balm, reminiscent of the softer side of Fleetwood Mac. Such a template does seem overly polished at times, and on occasion, DOS slips into moments of syrupy languor. But for the most part, such clean-cut production lends these songs a quaint sparkle, and the charming earnestness of its dual singers is a surprisingly disarming asset.

The outcome is a gentle aural balm, reminiscent of the softer side of Fleetwood Mac.

‘Miracle People’ opens the EP in a cloud of soft synths and unobtrusive guitar licks, but it does feel a little too anodyne as an opening piece, and likewise, ‘High on Love’ doesn’t completely gel, even in spite of an impressive chorus crescendo. Both arrangements are undeniably pretty, but they do feel a little too slight to really grab one’s attention from the get-go. However, DOS does find its feet as it continues, blossoming into several lovely moments. ‘I Might Return’ is the strongest cut of the four, gliding from its folky beginnings to an upwards surge in harmonies and insistent percussion. Such a heightened emphasis on melody works a treat, especially during in the song’s midsection, wherein a delicate piano motif flutters prettily amid the warmth. ‘Better’ is similarly enjoyable in its unforced delicacy, concluding in a beautifully simple wave of celestial chants.

On the whole, My Youth’s second EP is certainly a solid effort. The trio have formed a tasteful and sincere aesthetic, which – if not entirely indispensable – offers rewards for those who opt to delve into it. If the group can up the pace and fuel their music with a more potent dose of duende for EP #3, the results could be very impressive indeed.

Similar To: Fleetwood Mac, The Staves

MP3: ‘I Might Return’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSfU-BA3t9c