[FRESH NEW] Big History "War Drum" (Free MP3)
August 03, 2011
The first thing that immediately struck me about Big History's "War Drum" are the confident, smoky vocals of lead vocalist Meg Roussel that are carefully wrapped in pulsing, pop-savvy beats. It's that unlikely and unusual combination of gentle and grit that has me curious about more from this fresh new talent.
Big History's kicky production stylings are courtesy of British prog pop producer Japayork who I covered back in 2010 with his own artist material. After moving from London to Los Angeles, Japayork started working with the very talented Big History, a six-member pop outfit from New Orleans. By combining the sounds of violins and laptops alike, the group's music is a potent brew of alternative pop that flashes with the pulse and shimmer of a 3 A.M. dance party, but is smooth and hazy enough to be revisited the morning after.
Download the totally-guilt free MP3 Big History's "War Drum" to get a taste of this emerging group. Innovative combining sparkly, euphoric synths with Roussel's gritty delivery, the song tells the story about staying on guard when love drifts off course.
Roussel sings, "There's nothing left, there's no one home. An empty castle (. . .) When all of your armor, all of your shields are gone, a heart is an army and all of the guns are drawn and the war goes on like an ocean churning." (On a related note, the cover art for Big History's "War Drum" was designed by the same folks that produced the art for Foster The People's "Torches.")