The Band: Atom Tree is the brainchild of Glasgow East End producer Shaun Canning, a 22 year old who, alongside percussionist Michael Robertson, distills influences such as Radiohead, Gold Panda and The XX to arrive at his own brand of chill wave-come-dream pop. Having gained plaudits for their 2013 instrumental debut, ‘Tide of Thorns’, the follow up Clouds EP sees him enlist the services of vocalist Julie Knox elevate his dreamy, blissed-out soundscapes to new heights.
The Sound: Coming in at just over three minutes, ‘Hold On’ evokes everything from Beach House and Washed Out to Jacques Greene and Bonobo. Knox’s gorgeous, lackadaisical vocal snakes itself around dreamy swathes of ethereal synth and a minimalist drumbeat before gradually floating up to a euphoric climax. It’s technical, texturally layered pop that nonetheless doesn’t lose itself in its own ambition, making it accessible to hardened electronic and ambient music fans as well as mainstream audiences. This marks the transformation from bedroom project to serious band.
The lowdown: The sophomore Cloud’s EP is available now via the Hotgem website, while the band plays the Kiltr Feastival of St Andrews event at Glasgow’s SWG3 on the 30th November 2014.
