This Morning Call

Following rave reviews from the likes of Channel 4, XFM and Channel M, underground Mancunian pop artists “This Morning Call” bring their melodic yet experimental blend of rock and electronica to VOX. Following on from successful recent one off shows at the London Troubadour, Manchester PRIDE, the Greenbelt Festival, and the Hard Rock café, their off the wall collection of darkly uplifting tunes has been described by some as an experience similar to watching “portishead on anti-depressants”. Ben Heyworth’s soft rock vocals superbly compliment ambient landscapes, the odd glitchy beat and beautiful piano driven ballads, lyrically painting emotional landscapes and giving classic pop sensibilities a kick into the 21st Century.

Formed in Manchester in 2007, this ongoing studio project and live band can be compared to the likes of The Postal Service, Elbow, Coldplay and even Goldfrapp with whom they undoubtedly share a maverick streak.

"If you're a fan of sweeping electronic landscapes, ambient pop-edged melodies and the occasional dark crunchy beat, start paying attention. This Morning Call take the atmospheric aspects of Coldplay which stop them being purely guilty easy listening, channel them through the bleeps and angular squawks of the New Order/Daft Punk school, and produce an experimental, light, electronic pop. I'll admit that, as a devoted electronica fan of the VNV Nation kind, it was their subtle, layered use of distortion, metallic echoes and computer-generated loops which won me over, but it touches base with pop often enough that it doesn't alienate. Anyway. new word from this Manchester based band is that they had a well-received "End Of Camden" gig in London and a TV slot/sold out show at Manchester's Hard Rock Cafe supporting Ghosts in December 2007 - so hurry up and check them out before they explode onto the wider scene, because that's looking increasingly likely." (jenny@weheartmusic.com)