Barber For The Queen burst onto the music scene with the Effects are Classic EP in 2018, followed by The Slide the following year. At the time, they offered music combining shoegaze, space-rock and synthpop, but had never fully anchored themselves in a specific style, being still in their infancy.
Now they’re back with their first full-length, BABA. The four years since the band’s last release have clearly been fruitful, as BABA is undoubtedly their best project to date. It’s clear that Barber For The Queen has finally found the sound that allows them to reach their full potential, a mix of disco and new wave, a far cry from their previous projects, but executed with brio.
With a groove like no other, BABA marks a milestone in Barber For The Queen’s creative journey. The band has clearly become more confident and allows itself more exploration, subjecting us to a real sensory experience.
Soaring synths take center stage in a packed soundscape, combining electrifying guitar riffs and punchy bass lines, all accompanied by a voice that ventures in many directions. It’s robotic one moment, seems to come to us from beyond, then dives underwater before returning to the surface to perform a chorus that gives us an uncontrollable urge to dance. The use of a vocoder complements the synths, adding yet another element to the exhilarating mix of sounds, giving us the impression that the album is set in a parallel universe.
The band also takes the opportunity to experiment with other styles, dabbling in R&B with DKWIDW (in collaboration with Goodbye Karelle), then jazz with BEAUTIFUL SYMPHONY and ALL NIGHT LONG, in which saxophone is skilfully integrated into their sound.
Self-produced from start to finish, BABA is an album that hooks you from the first listen, a success from start to finish. Barber For The Queen is one to keep an eye on, as the band’s musical abilities presage excellent future projects and could quickly propel them out of the underground scene.
