Empty Machines – “Velvet Sky”

Empty Machines, the Glasgow band shared with us their newest single “Velvet Sky” and it’s a musical odyssey, stitching together alternative, electronic, and ambient soundscapes into an awesome sonic theatrical experience. The fertile result of the solo instrument work by Thomas Crawford, and now with the attractive vocals of Jodie Helena, this two-piece is still pushing the limits of independent music creation.

No wonder that from the first note, “Velvet Sky” gives the listener the feeling that he is wrapped in soft velvet, just as advertised in the title. Empty Machines’ seamless fusion of genres gives rise to a sound at once novel and normal. With everything written, recorded, and mixed in their home studio, the do-it-all, self-sufficient attitude of the band is felt throughout the meticulous detail and intimate feel of the song.

The vocals of Jodie Helena set against Crawford’s expert playing weave a backdrop. It takes the band to some dark places, yet the substance that the track adds to the band’s catalog is worthwhile. The journey it takes you on is thoughtful. But “Velvet Sky” is more than just a song, it is an artistic declaration of independence and a congress of the art of retaining creative control.