1. FEAR THE FUTURE – IAMWARFACE (4)
2. BURY A FRIEND – Billie Eilish (1)
3. DARK PLACES – The Frontier (5)
4. ESCAPE – Ships Have Sailed (7)
5. DISAPPEAR – Western Jaguar (2)
6. CHLORINE – twenty one pilots (3)
7. HURT – Oliver Tree (8)
8. LONGSHOT – Catfish and the Bottlemen (6)
9. MISSED CONNECTION – The Head and the Heart (12)
10. STILL FEEL. – half alive (11)
11. BAD GUY – Billie Eilish (16)
12. LOVE CRAZY – Karolina Rose (10)
13. BELOVED – Mumford & Sons (13)
14. TIME – Morosity (9)
15. PATIENCE – Tame Impala (15)
16. TRAMPOLINE – SHAED (14)
17. I’LL BE AROUND – Morning Fuzz (17)
18. NOT WORTH IT – The Only Route (18)
19. OLD MAN’S WAR – Roadkeeper (19)
20. CHOKE – I Don’t Know How But They Found Me (20)
21. SAW LIGHTNING – Beck (23)
22. ALLIGATOR – Of Monsters and Men (25)
23. MAYBE, I’M AFRAID – lovelytheband (24)
24. I SEE YOU – MISSIO (29)
25. ROOM TO BREATHE – Made of Eyes (30)
26. READY TO LET GO – Cage the Elephant (22)
27. I GET NO JOY – Jade Bird (N)
28. FALLING WITH STYLE – Heist at Five (N)
29. COMING UP FOR AIR – Mars Motel (N)
30. ECHOES – Ignite the Fire (N)
When I last featured the wickedly talented and undeniably charismatic UK band Heist at Five on this blog in October 2018, they had released their fantastic single “Finish What You Started”. I reviewed the song and also interviewed the band, which you can read here. Based in London, but with an international pedigree, the electro/hard rock collective plays an aggressive, innovative style of alternative rock that borders on experimental, with complex melodies, intricate chord progressions and brilliant electronic and guitar-heavy instrumentation. Making the music are Oskar Abrahamsson (vocals), Jozef Veselsky (guitar), Marco “Fuzz” Paone (bass) and Josh Needham (drums), with assistance from production guru Kim Björnram. They released their impressive debut EP The Blacklist in early 2018 (which I also reviewed), and now return with an exciting and introspective new single “Falling With Style“, and it’s one of their best songs yet.
The band states “the song is about fully embracing the idea of failure and finding comfort in it”, and it’s message is delivered with a glorious soundscape of elaborate instrumentation and sounds. Jozef is an amazing guitarist, dazzling our senses with incredibly intricate riffs and spine-tingling power chords. Marco and Josh keep the rhythm with a deep, throbbing bass line and powerful drums, backed by swirling moody synths and otherworldly but beautiful electronically-enhanced soaring choruses.
Oskar’s fervent vocals are spectacular, raising goosebumps as they go from sultry purr to tender falsetto to emotionally wrought wails as he sings:
Now we’re fighting for our life just to get our balance back How we see the world shakes, under attack The sky is caving as its weighing down these skinny legs We’re slowly getting close to the edge
It’s all been shattered, torn apart Burnt to pieces, right from the start It all falls But does it matter, for us at all When all you need is, to fall with style
The song has been translated into a brilliant and surreal video that tells the story of a young woman who sees moments of her life in flashbacks, which ends up changing her perspective about life, and in the process breaks her old pattern of decision making. The video was written, directed and edited by Oskar, and filmed by James Kiberu at IPuzzle Digital Media Video. The woman was played by Anoushka Rava, and the lead girl by Julie Rabesahala.
Heist At Five is a charismatic and multi-talented electro/hard rock band based in London, UK. Their aggressive, innovative sound borders on experimental rock, with complex melodies, intricate chord progressions and brilliant electronic and guitar-heavy instrumentation. This past February they released an impressive debut EP The Blacklist (which I reviewed), and now return with a wicked new single “Finish What You Started,” which officially drops on October 26.
Like many bands, Heist At Five has undergone a few personnel changes, but the current line-up consists of Oskar Abrahamsson (vocals), Jozef Veselsky (guitar), Marco “Fuzz” Paone (bass) and Josh Needham (drums), with assistance from production guru Kim Björnram. A special shout out goes to David Marvelly and former band guitarist Huw Roberts, who helped the song come together with production, and mixing. I sent the guys some questions about their band, creative process, and the new single, and received thoughtful – and sometimes cheeky – responses from four of these charming lads on every question.
EML: Hi guys, thanks for wanting to discuss your new single “Finish What You Started.” Before we get into the song and video, tell me how you came together to form Heist At Five, given your international origins. (Oskar is from Sweden, Jozef from Slovakia, Marco from Italy and Josh is English.)
Marco – The paths we chose individually took almost all of us to the same music uni in London. Oskar and I met in the very first week of uni and he soon invited me to jam with his new flatmate. There, I found Josh behind the kit! We clicked almost instantly; I remember our first feedback said that it felt like we had been playing together for years, and at that point we realised this could really go somewhere.
Josh – When we started playing together and eventually made it a band, we went through a fair few line-up changes, which I think is quite normal. Eventually, Jozef appeared, and Heist At Five was born!
Jozef – Yeah. I’d studied music in the UK, same as the rest of the band, just at a different institution. About a year ago I was simply on a lookout for a new project and among the ads, the selection was pitiful. So I just went for a lesser evil 😀 Kidding – the first part is true, but when I looked up these guys I knew it was it! The rest is history.
Oskar – It is really cool to have a group where every member is from a different country. It has really opened my eyes in a lot of ways.
EML: How do you go about creating new songs? Do you all share songwriting duties?
Jozef – We try to have songwriting sessions regularly and write together as a band. Sometimes one is inspired, sometimes other …sometimes no-one.
Oskar- If it’s good, its good. Then where or from when or what it comes from doesn’t matter.
Josh – Yeah, our songwriting sessions are completely random. The intro riff to “Finish What You Started,” for example, was accidentally written when we were just checking if our MIDI keyboard was working! But we always try and use different approaches to songwriting, we haven’t got a specific “process” (yet).
Marco – Initially we would write more independently, everyone bringing his own little song. Then we realised that, probably because of our different tastes, they would differ too much from each other. Since last year we started having sessions all together from start to finish of a song and it’s been really refreshing. Ideas come from everyone, we all motivate each other and we got to known ourselves much better since then.
EML: “Finish What You Started” has a bit more of a progressive metal vibe than the songs on your debut EP “The Blacklist.” Is this representative of the new musical direction you mention on your Spotify page?
Jozef – It definitely is! In this song we wanted to show that we’re not afraid of going heavily electronic. At the same time, with this song being the first one with me on the bill, I pioneer a slightly more modern approach to metal guitar playing within the band. In various forms and shapes, we hope to manifest these trends in our music going forward.
Josh – We definitely wanted to try and be a bit more ballsy, and make ‘Finish’a big “IN YOUR FACE” kind of statement. And I think that will continue to be our approach. We all have different influences but we all have the collective vision to take those and make something modern and massive.
Oskar – I’d say both yes and no. I want everyone to know that you never will be able to predict the next move from Heist At Five. Maybe we will, maybe we won’t…
Marco – While ”The Blacklist” already flirts quite a bit with the electronic edge, with ‘Finish’ we decided to be even bolder to the point of undermining the usual hierarchy you find in modern pop/rock song with a big chorus. I love the fact that it’s boiling hot but it never quite explodes, and always leaves you on the verge.
EML: It certainly does! I’ve listened to the song several times, but can’t quite figure out what it is that was started that needs to be finished. Is it perhaps a metaphor for the band’s music mission?
Jozef – I’ll leave this one for Oskar to answer.
Oskar – I’m going to break every songwriters golden rule to not explain the lyrics and ruin the magic, but please, keep on coming with your own interpretations – they are as true, if not truer, than ours. By following our mission statement of letting the audience make up their own minds about the world they live in, it’s written very open-mindedly on purpose. One layer in the song is about the fear and uncertainty of going through with ideas and things in life, as there is no guarantee they will turn out the way we envisioned. Is it worth finishing these things? Maybe it ends up in a place that is great! But if you are unlucky, it could be terrible, so maybe it’s better to never finish what you started.
Josh – Maybe you made a cup of tea and forgot about it, and it’s going to go cold soon. (You’re welcome by the way)
Marco – Josh’s right, I always forget to drink my tea!!
EML: In the video – which is very cool by the way – the mysterious person whose face we never see is shown at the beginning putting on a hoodie he finds laying on the pavement. He then walks around, almost stalking the different band members, but never actually threatening or accosting them. At the video’s end, he vanishes into the night as his hoodie returns to the ground. What or who does the mystery guy symbolize?
Oskar – We wanted to make a video that didn’t just show what we spoke about in the song, but added layers to the story and concept. Maybe “hoodie man” is just a projection of our consciousness, seeing our actions from an outsiders point of view, a symbol of doubt or disbelief in if we are doing the right thing. In the twist at the end, in true M. Night Shyamalan spirit, it is maybe implied that ideas are bigger than the people and personalities behind them. As the idea is executed, the faces will be forgotten but the idea they finished will remain. But I’m not going to rant on for an eternity, go on and make up your mind about what it means to you 😉
Marco – Another potential interpretation is that the “Hoodie man”, as we like to call him, by restricting his view, only has the focus on what’s in front of him. He perseveres in whatever direction he wants, regardless of what happens around him. His goal? That’s for the viewer to decide.
EML: Are you guys currently writing and recording more songs? Any plans for a second EP or possible full-length album?
Jozef – With the trends in today’s music industry in mind, we decided that for a while we’ll continue with single releases until the time comes for something bigger. The next one is being recorded as we speak!
Oskar – Yeah, we think that by doing individual singles, we get the opportunity to take bolder creative decisions, and totally go in a new fresh direction for each release.
Marco – A lot is in the pot right now: Yes, we are recording and writing new material. Our plan at the moment is to keep the hype up with new single releases, although I wouldn’t exclude the possibility of including them in a new EP or an album in the near future. Only time will tell!
Josh – It’s actually exciting not knowing exactly what we’re going to do next. We’re not limiting ourselves musically, and I think that’s clear to see with “Finish What You Started”.
Thanks guys! So let’s check out the new single. The track opens with a buzzing riff, then Josh’s pounding drums enter the scene, accompanied by discordant spacey synths as Oskar sings in an almost sinister voice:
Is this how you imagined it? That work of art inside your head? What you once saw in black and white is fading out. Spinning round and round, and suddenly it’s harder to see what’s up and what’s down. Swimming in the deep end now. So take a deep breath, and finish what you started, started, started.
Marco lays down a heavy bass line that serves as a sturdy foundation for Jozef’s gnarly guitar and Josh’s power drums as the spacey industrial-sounding synths continue. I love how the the roiling riffs of distorted guitar and pummeling drums are so thoroughly in sync, punctuated here and there by frantic flourishes that seem to rip at the airwaves, making for a unsettling, yet mesmerizing song. Watch and listen:
Heist at Five is an electro/hard rock band based in London, UK, but in a sense they’re also an international band, with roots in several countries. Band front man and lead vocalist Oskar Abrahamsson and production guru Kim Björnram are from Sweden, but moved to London to study music. Bassist Marco “Fuzz” Paone hails from Turin, Italy, and guitarist Jozef Veselsky is from Slovakia, leaving drummer Josh Needham as the only British-born band member. (Paone and Needham are also bassist and drummer for Oli Barton & the Movement, who I’ve featured on this blog a number of times.) Their aggressive, innovative sound borders on experimental rock, with complex melodies, intricate chord progressions and wicked electronic and guitar-heavy instrumentation.
Heist at Five released their debut EP The Blacklist in February, and I’m here to tell my readers why they should listen to it. Kicking things off with a blast of fuzzy throbbing synths and a pounding drumbeat, “Intelligence” immediately whets our appetite for what’s to come. And what is that, you ask? It’s a fucking eargasm of furious riffs, psychedelic synths and thunderous percussion, that’s what. The instrumentation is amazing, with unexpected change-ups and all sorts of interesting sounds that make for an unsettling yet exciting listen. Oskar’s powerful vocals are marvelous as he goes from a menacing seductiveness one moment to savage screams the next. (I also love his Swedish accent that shines through.) It’s all a perfect match for the provocative lyrics about authoritarian thought-control: “So just close your eyes so you can see. And realize that I’m controlling from within. I guide you through love and pain. I’ll lead you through your life without leaving your brain. I’m defying the concept of what’s false and true. Especially made for you. / Who am I? I’m the intelligence.”
Here’s a great live performance of “Intelligence” that really showcases the band’s energy and charisma:
The guys keep that energy flowing with the hard-driving “One Moment.” Opening with a rapid, hip hop synth beat, the track bursts open with roiling gritty guitars played by Huw Roberts (the previous lead guitarist who is no longer with the band), and Josh’s tumultuous drums, while Marco keeps it all grounded with a solid bass line. Once again, the band skillfully employs sharp melodic shifts and elaborate instrumentation, including flourishes of distorted guitar, quirky synths and Kim’s hauntingly beautiful keyboard riff, to create an outstanding track. And it goes without saying that Oskar kills it with his passionate vocals.
“Three Steps Behind” is perhaps the catchiest track on the EP, with its arresting melody and galloping riffs. To my ears, the song has a bit of an Incubus vibe, and even Oskar’s vocal style on this track reminds me of Brandon Boyd. The band continues to amaze with “The Island,” serving up gorgeous keyboards and intricate, jaw-dropping guitar work. Oskar’s soaring emotionally-charged vocals bring goosebumps once again.
The guys save the best for last, with the magnificent tour-de-force “When Eternity is Here.” The track opens with a captivating bass-driven Tango-like melody, accompanied by an achingly beautiful synth riff and snare drum. Oskar fervently sings “All of us watch a never-ending road. We are pushed by the wind. No one allowed to stop. And the holes in the ground grows bigger every day.” His vocal passion rises along with the instrumentals in the chorus, where sounds of sirens lend an ominous sense of unease as he wails: “Where are you my friend? I can see our world’s in danger. / Come to me, my dear, my darling. Our world’s disappearing. Everything will change for us when eternity is here.” The guitars and keyboards in the bridge are spine-tingling, and so is this phenomenal track.
Heist At Five have set the bar quite high with their impressive debut EP, but given their collective talents, I’m confident they’ll daze our ears with their next musical efforts.
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 