The Bankes Brothers – “Aaliyah”
Victoria, BC-based four piece The Bankes Brothers return to the blog with “Aaliyah,” a warm slice of resonant indie folk.
“Aaliyah” spends the first half of its existence wrapped in a cocoon of delicately finger-plucked acoustic guitar, a sound built around the naturally muted tone of old, dusty strings. The notes reverberate across the sonic landscape like drops of rain on a tin roof, with a subtle, otherworldly drone lining the underbelly of the barebones arrangement. This makes the perfect landing strip for a vocal performance that sounds as though it’s happening in the same room as you, exactly the way we prefer it.
The next element to appear is the bass, offering some dynamic variation through its low tones, as well as a bit of foreshadowing for the second half. At the midpoint, the rest of the rhythm section arrives, with a consistent pulse from the kick drum and accents on the hi-hat. An electric guitar appears, adding a lively layer to the vulnerability of the acoustic, ultimately building up to the four-on-the-floor beat that carries “Aaliyah” through its final section.
With stellar harmony vocals and top-notch production, “Aaliyah” swells from a folky composition into a lightning bolt of indie rock that recalls the anthemic energy of The Killers. It does everything we need it to do, then leaves us returning to the play button for another spin.