August and After

It's not often that the final moments of a song outshine the rest of a pop composition - especially as it’s usually seen as just an inevitable function - but in the case of multi-cultural London trio August and After's new single "Wolves", it's the most striking component.

Despite being named after a fierce predator, the anti-crescendo of "Wolves"' eleventh hour is as delicate as a microscopic butterfly; cautious piano keys, subtle low frequency oscillation and hushed vocals from Vedantha, Ned and Jordan. The music video accompaniment adds to this mood by effectively documenting the band's delivery with thoughtful and poignant expressions, inside an equally peaceful ecclesiastical setting. It’s as if the air is so fragile that a pin dropping on the floor would be a disastrous mishap.

There’s also an exclusivity factor that’s endearing. Their concerts are said to be a two-way interaction but the small crowd of circa 15 people stare intensely without a mutter in sight and gradually attacked by empathetic goosebumps. The earlier chapters of the song aren’t dramatically different and are as calm as the single's artwork but include a sorrowful viola, fluttering dual of acoustic guitars, tambourine and soft jazz-style drumming to give it a classical and sophisticated folk sound. The metaphor of “wolves” as an emotional guardian preventing the singer from taking risks, is a sufficient introduction to the band’s deviceful songwriting.

Under the wing of multicultural producer Jonathan Lefèvre Reich (who has ties with Brazil, France and London), they should have an album that could express their various origins and is released at some point this year. Most notably Reich has previously worked with bar-piano-jazz musician Sans Elle and we could expect more from the genre inside August and After's future singles.

In the meantime August and After are performing at the secretive Cecil’s on the 4th June and this is your chance to be part of their segregated club. An appropriate location for their launch party, that is self-described as: “a hidden gem tucked away in the back alleys of London Bridge & home to all manner of characters, cocktails & carefree souls.”