Chad Valley - Equatorial Ultravox

It’s not often that a piece of music comes along which is so perfectly described by it’s title. ‘Equatorial Ultravox’ is just that, a deserted beach upon which a crate full of 80’s synth pop records has washed up. Chad Valley, Oxford’s Hugo Manuel and one quarter of fellow Blessing Force group Jonquil, took a trip to Ibiza for inspiration for this collection of seven tracks, focusing more on the chilled aspect of Balearic culture than the Kevin and Perry Go Large side, however. If life is a beach, then Chad Valley isn’t ready to pack up his towel and leave just yet.

The familiar chillwave boxes are all ticked here. Lo-fi vocals with a shedload of filtering? Check. Downtempo rhythm section? Check. Warm, swirling synths? Double check. Opener ‘Now That I’m Real (How Does It Feel?)’ gets things off to a bright start, utilising an understated yet memorable keyboard riff and featuring lush vocals from Rose Dagul of Rhosyn, while ‘Reach Lines’ is essentially an R&B slow jam from the future, with a funky bassline and vocoder effects being the key elements.

Standout tracks are rare, but rewarding. For example, the excellent ‘Shell Suite’, a slow burner with a triumphant crescendo, and the most euphoric of the EP. Lacking the reverence to new wave and similar to some of the more energetic Washed Out tracks, it stands head and shoulders above everything else. Others such as ‘Acker Bilk’ are so instantly forgettable that I had to double check to make sure it was actually on the track-list. Chillwave is a crowded scene, and while being a perfectly listenable experience, ‘Equatorial Ultravox’ simply doesn’t do enough in terms of originality to make it essential.