by Philip Moss

Winter’s Maze conjures the image of Jack Torrence stumbling out of The Outlook hotel, as Stephen King’s The Shining, and scrambling after Danny and Wendy, as it heads towards its closing act. But what is actually playing out in those moments is Torrence’s internal strifes – his loss of control following the excavation into himself. The same reflective journey that Slight Of’s Jim Hill takes on the final single before the release of new album, Other People.

Lyrically, Hill digs deep into the past – exploring places that for some reason hold enough weight to crop back up as key images or markers in their consciousness when reflecting – and examines the feelings associated. They also look back at important figures, and how they made them feel. The bruises, the aching – ‘Oh what you do to me / You know it hurts so gracefully’ – the juxtaposition of how these moments have resulted in such a state of clambering confusion. But unlike the memories that so wildly fleet back of their own accord, it is musically where Hill does show restraint. Winter’s Maze‘s exploding soundtrack has a Spiritualized sized vision, but never fully takes off – as Hill grapples with what bit of control they can keep on this quite stunning teaser for their upcoming full length.

Slight Of’s upcoming album, Other People, is due out on 28th August on Figure 2 RC and Dadstache.