Stalking Horse - Heathen Head Howling Heart Single Review

Is Leeds fast becoming Yorkshire's equivalent to Portland, Oregon? With so many new bands and so much artistry and creativity abounding in the area of late you would be easily forgiven for thinking so. The latest act to emerge out of one of the country's most vibrant, exciting and stimulating music scenes is Stalking Horse, or Wu Et Al to his friends!

The new single 'Heathen Head, Howling Heart' is a pulsating fusion of falsetto over layered harmonies above whirling guitars, mandolins, ukulele, piano and taught percussion. It's a precise piece of indie pop all wrapped up in 2mins41secs. What follows, in similarly minimalist fashion, is 'Off Auto'. Here Stalking Horse goes all old school Radiohead using his high notes to accent the percussive guitar and snare. Sleigh bells and xylophone accessorise the more solemn track that is equally as good as the first.

With a single of this quality Stalking Horse looks set to join the pedigree of musical elite that the creatively fertile Northern city has nurtured of late. Here's to the new Wu!


Andrew Lockwood