Welsh synth duo Martyrs are in a melancholy mood on their Church Street EP, reminiscing in the title track about a long gone record store, a pub that served piss-poor pints but was welcoming and cosy. Twist The Cap, which is offered in two different versions - one uncannily happy and one quite sad, is a love letter of sorts to the valleys for which Wales is rightly known. More personal turmoil is tackled in You've Been Here Before and Having The Window Open Helps. The outlier is He Breaks Horses, a danceable history lesson about the Merthyr Rising of 1831, when the working class first raised a red flag a symbol of rebellion.
It may seem that Michael Hall and Jon Howells are making it up as they go along - synth driven 80s inspired dance is not associated with meaningful lyrics, so superimposing their easy-on-the-ears music with challenging words feels a bit awkward at first. Having the best of both worlds is no mean feat, and it made the completion of this collection of songs a cumbersome process. Thankfully they persisted - or gave up in some cases and went for a sort of finished track that worked it very well, despite all their misgivings and doubts. Sometimes further tinkering is not have helpful at all, something they will to keep in the back of their minds for their next release.
The Church Street EP is available from the band's website.
Tracks- Church Street
- He Breaks Horses
- Twist The Cap
- You've Been Here Before
- Having The Window Open Helps
- Twist The Cap (Alternate Version)
HCTF review of the sno-fi ep
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