Stateless - Ariel Single Review

Leeds band Stateless are back with their first single 'Ariel' from their forthcoming album Matilda to be released in 2011. Stateless' journey up until now has certainly been an interesting one, having been signed to Sony and !K7 previously, they now find a home at the fantastic independent label Ninja Tune - who actually featured 'Ariel' on their epic XX Box set. Stateless have been championed by DJ Shadow whose involvement and interest has allowed cool collaborations for them and possibly much needed support for a group who continually attempt to push and fuse musical boundaries.

DJ Shadow presented the 'gypsy' style guitar sample that creates the mood for 'Ariel', this accompanied by bass heavy, atmospheric electronics which when combined with Chris James excellent vocals it certainly creates an innovative sound that is contemporary and interesting. The overall result is a much welcomed Eastern feel that is sophisticated, modern and intoxicating. There are some good remix versions provided on this single too.

'Ariel' is another display from Stateless of their desire to fuse modern sounds with good song writing delivered in a professional way. They have often been compared to sounding like Radiohead meets DJ Shadow and it's a fair comparison. There is a depth here and a progressive element to prove why Stateless are relevant, innovative and why the music industry still values them. Bring on Matilda!

Tareck Ghoneim