“Hidden in the vast blanket of stars, our Beacon One calls for you. And the beacon carries a message - an ambitious hello. This is a message in a bottle, hoping to find new life and the secrets that it keeps. Close to the horizon, the Beacon has picked up a colorful glimpse of light. A new hope, a new guideline. As we ascend to the unknown, we cling our selves to the hope of something good. But the uncertainties creates a fiery rush. The rush that keeps us alive. Climb on!” - Atella
Having released a series of critically acclaimed singles on Eskimo Recordings, Norwegian duo Atella now expand their horizons with the ‘Beacon One’ EP, 4 tracks of star spanning electronica and cosmic pop suitable for soundtracking both awe inspiring journeys through towering nebulas and nights out in some of the galaxy’s foremost hives of scum and villainy.
Opening with the stunning ‘Ascension’, our Nordic space cadets quickly set the tone for the EP. Featuring guest vocals from one of Norway’s most tipped new popstars, AURORA, ‘Ascension’ finely walks the line between both the breathless beauty and cosmic horror that the inky depths of space inspires.
Like following Alice down a black hole, ‘Alive’ is the kind of offbeat upside-down pop music Atella are so good at and will have you wishing that 2001’s monolith makers had thought to work with Funktion 1 and develop a truly out of this world sound-system.
‘Nothing’ meanwhile is for when you just have to screw the prime directive and make first contact on the dancefloor, electro powered funk at its best it provides a clue as to how Daft Punk ‘s last album may have sounded if they’d spent less time playing at being robots and more time dressed up as green skinned aliens.
Closing out the EP Magnus and Johannes cut loose with the epic ‘Transition’, a homage to their childhood musical heroes, such as Jean-Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk and Vangelis, who first filled their heads with the sound of space. Another defining moment in the career of one of Norway’s most exciting new talents, ‘Beacon One’ is exactly what close encounters were made for.