Rodina hail from Leeds so it is perhaps no surprise that their album “Rodina and The Wolf” is styled upon ambient soundscapes that neatly evoke dark nights in the big city. However, just like in a big city, there is beauty to be found if you are prepared to look for it and, in this case, the beauty is in the drifting upon a cloud vocals of Aoife Hearty.
The songs loop around themselves with robotic precision evoking the white lines and street lights of every street you’ve ever driven down between dusk and dawn. Snatches of rhythms from other parts of the world –“Hypnotise” even threatens to go all dub on you – liven things up and further reinforce that multicultural vibe of big city life.
That electronic precision would, of course, imply a certain sterility to this band’s music but credit must be given where it is due. The aforementioned vocals of Aoife Hearty duly add the spirit that enables you to connect with the beat and her voice wanders across a sparsely populated lyrical landscape as if her sole purpose was to enchant.
For a late night listen on headphones, “Rodina and The Wolf” hits the mark.