Album Review: Halcyon Drive - Untethered

16 May 2016 | 3:17 pm | Jess Morison

"...close to greatness."

After a busy 2015 spent touring with alt-rock band Mew, gathering support and finishing off the year at NYE On The Hill, Halcyon Drive release Untethered.

This EP seamlessly showcases the band's talents with its edgy, alt-pop sound. The raspy vocals of Michael Oechsle have an appeal similar to that of The 1975 and enhance the syncopated drum beats and crafty riffs. Electronic loops, even at their most subtle, make the slightly off-kilter rhythms more attractive particularly throughout Everywhere I Go. In Books For The Holidays, vocal melodies - especially during the lyrical phrase, "And you have a smile like a hurricane" - come close to greatness.