TEZ – FEATHERS – SINGLE REVIEW

THE NEW SINGLE TAKEN FROM ‘THE NEW ERA’ EP

Tez describe themselves brilliantly and intriguingly as a soulful ambient indie quartet who weave “indie rock allure, infectious melodies, and soulful, introspective lyrics into a beguiling tapestry of sound.” That sounds great on paper, but so many bands promise a lot then deliver quite a lot less when you come to press play on their music.

Not so with Tez – their music really does reflect that description. Take the latest single from the Kent quartet: ‘Feathers’ starts almost hesitantly, a soft ambient glow of sound appearing gradually, followed by a layered drum and guitar motif. Not much is given away yet, but there’s a distinctly warm feel with strong hints of the immersion that’s to come. That motif appears a couple more times, before vocals from multi-instrumentalist and frontman Owen Mellett finally give solidity and shape to the song, and the whole thing takes off.

Owen sings with an alluring tone, his words sometimes lost in introspection but then gaining clarity (“I won’t be shut out!” he exclaims). Combined with softly-toned guitars and more of that subtle ambience from underlying synths, we start to understand what Tez means when they talk about weaving a musical tapestry.

Owen’s voice inexorably gains passion, sometimes through volume but sometimes through quiet intensity. “And all I see are glimmers of gold shining down, painting the road, as I walk through the valley with an open mind…” he sings, before the song reaches its first explosive chorus. A blast of rowdier guitars, and the band drop away beautifully, wending their way through another verse.

‘Feathers’ is a song with many layers to discover, both in the music and the beautifully considered lyrics. The instrumental break after the second chorus is a masterclass in subtle musical variation, riffing on the chord sequence but erring towards jangly guitars supported by a rolling snare drum. Owen really lets rip after that, repeating the same words but with a previously unrevealed rawness to his voice. The quite sudden ending after this rage of energy is both unexpected, and unexpectedly satisfying.

With songs like this, it’s no wonder Tez have already won wide support, despite only forming in March 2023. There’s huge promise here. Tez have festival appearances booked at Fox Fest in Derbyshire (12th 14th July) and Tiefental Festival, Switzerland (7th September).

listen to ‘FEATHERS’ here now