One of the most intricate EPs we’ve come across all year, Arliston have dropped a five-track introspective indie-pop EP, titled “How In Heaven”. The EP take unremarkable moments and how they in themselves can make us disconnect from our surroundings. Each track manages to convey its own story with poetic lyricism wrapped around an addictive indie-pop rhythm. This release acts as the follow-up to the third single from the EP, “451”.
Arliston, the musical duo hailing from South London, comprises vocalist & instrumentalist Jack Ratcliffe and producer & instrumentalist George Hasbury. Initially a trio, they joined forces with talented drummers as they continued as a dynamic duo. In 2018, they made their mark in the indie scene with their debut EP, “Hawser”, gaining recognition and praise. Following their drummer’s return to Barcelona, Arliston evolved their indie-pop sound, incorporating lush synths and gentle chords to create beautifully textured music that evokes both optimism and melancholia. Their latest EP, “How In Heaven”, further solidifies their position in the music world. The duo have gone on to accumulate over 2.3 million streams on Spotify and earned support from BBC Radio One, Amazing Radio, Spotify UK playlists, and acclaimed music blogs and magazines like Clash, Wonderland, Earmilk, and Notion. With a captivating sound that transcends boundaries, Arliston has truly established themselves on the British indie music scene.
Talking about their new EP release, Jack Ratcliffe said: “This EP as a whole is focused on the theme of isolation. Whether it’s the prosaic loneliness of Montag in Fahrenheit ‘451’, the separation of two people in ‘How in Heaven’, or just the more relatable ‘I don’t know what to say next’ feeling at a party.”
Continuing on, George Hasbury said: “We wanted to create a collection of expansive large-scale songs, to really demonstrate Arliston’s sonic range. I loved the process of scratching out guide beats and handing those over to our amazing drummers and getting these incredible interpretations back. The whole EP has a really rich seam of grooves running through it full of surprises. At points, it feels almost like Big Beat, but then it dips into more of a shuffle thing.”
Stream “How In Heaven” by Arliston on Spotify here:
All five tracks have been written by George Hasbury and Jack Ratcliffe, whilst they have been produced by Brett Shaw and George Hasbury. Arliston starts this EP off with the title track, “How In Heaven”, which is a soulfully-pleasing indie-pop song with a variety of instrument chords fusing together to create a sonically gorgeous rhythm – George Hasbury effortlessly makes a statement with the track showcasing his incredible production skills. Add that into Jack Ratcliffe’s soulful and emotional vocals, and this track really stands out to the listener and makes us intrigued by what the rest of the EP will bring. “451” is a surprise, switching up the vibe of the EP from the get-go with loud brass sounds that progresses into a more harmonic rhythm as drums flow in and Jack Ratcliffe’s awesome vocals start off. The whole atmospheric energy of this track takes the spotlight with an awesome falsetto for the chorus, but it’s the second verse where Jack Ratcliffe shines as he tells the story of the track, while more brass instruments crash around in a warped reality sensation that we can’t help but love – this is the track that we will be listening to, on repeat, and it just gets better with each play.
The third track on the EP is “Pisco Sours”, a progressive number that starts off subtle and slight until more instruments are added, keeping the rhythm and expanding it, whilst still keeping it stripped back. Jack Ratcliffe’s vocals are clear and crisp while bringing a soulful down-low tone as he paints a story of overthinking and wondering what someone else is thinking. “Chasing Birds” follows next, which sees a prominent falsetto from Arliston’s vocalist while a slow indie-pop accompanying rhythm flows behind. You can truly feel the power in this track and how much it has come from their hearts. The final track on the EP is “Backwards” which is also the lead single. It is an impactful song as Jack Ratcliffe goes for his lower register throughout which gives the track this soulful feeling while George Hasbury matches it by accompanying the vocals with a stripped-back arrangement emphasising the track itself and the story they’re conveying.
Talking about the lead single, “Backwards”, Arliston went on to say: “Just like our previous single ‘Pisco Sours’, this one follows the theme of social alienation and wanting to be elsewhere. But unlike ‘Pisco’, instead of embracing fantasy and wishing you were there, the chorus suggests that ‘I’ve got it backwards’ and the fact is, where you want to be should be where you are.”
Stream “451”, our favourite song from the EP, on Spotify here:
“How In Heaven”, by Arliston, is available to download and stream, right now, across all platforms, via Sob Story Records.