As their former bands slowly crumbled around them, Anar Badalov (ex-Metal Hearts) and Mona Elliott (ex-Victory at Sea) found solace in one another. The fruit of their relationship is Travels, a new project where programmed beats steer distortion-disguised homemade pop numbers. What Badalov calls a "more intimate" project, Travels will self-release their debut self-titled album later this month for digital download and in a limited edition run of 500 copies, each with its own handmade cover, which can be seen and ordered via the band's MySpace page.
"Golden Sun" finds the pair riding an eerie, stammering beat and fighting a murky haze of noise to transmit positivity between blurred waves. A slow whoosh of crackling distortion fizzes over circular harmonies as the duo's iridescent voices twirl upward into a gleaming helix -- "pretty noise" according to Badalov. Warm, firm and reassuring, the song has all the qualities of a good hug -- a deliberate mood said Elliot. "I was going through radiation treatment for breast cancer during the recording and writing of the entire record and Anar was taking such good care of me," she said. "That's exactly what this song means to me -- healing and being okay with being loved and taken care of." Travels will reach its destination independently on Oct. 30 becoming available on iTunes and eMusic.
Now Hear This:
Travels- "Golden Sun" DOWNLOAD MP3
On the Web:
Travels at MySpace
Talk: Does Travels' future shine as bright as their 'sun'?
