Review: Maxine Gillon’s ‘Ultra Lounge’ is Captivating & Thought Provoking

Indie artist, Maxine Gillon has released a new EP, ‘Ultra Lounge’, which was mixed and mastered by Wade Keighran (ELVIS (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Wolf & Cub). ‘Ultra Lounge’ also features guest vocals from Jonnine Standish (HTRK , Jonnine).

Ultra Lounge is a filmic exploration into the character of a lounge singer, down on her luck in a wintery urban milieu, plying her trade in dingy evocative nightclubs. It was inspired by 80’s New German Cinema and Nan Goldin photography.

Maxine Gillon

Backseat Mafia interviewed Maxine recently and she told us about her literary and musical influences and how the work of Nan Goldin has inspired her.

‘Ultra Lounge’ includes the previously released tracks, ‘Genuflect‘, ‘Grief Filled Avenues‘, and ‘American Coffee‘. Album opener, ‘Love & Loss (Overture)’ is a slow burner featuring guitar work that would not be out of place on Velvet Underground song. The song builds to a crescendo when Gillon’s vocals kick in and then there is a sudden and unexpected transition to the upbeat ‘Genuflect’. This track is pure joy with its dissonant guitars and driving beat, partly inspired by 1950’s rockabilly such as Link Wray and Duane Eddy, according to Gillon. ‘Wasted Light’ is a complex song featuring some terrific interplay between guitar and organ. The song has a spiritual quality that is reflected in the lyrics “Luminous, The light is gone from your eyes / Numinous, It’s cut you down to size”

‘Ginger & Star Anise’ rounds out the EP it has a jaunty feel to it, but as is always the case with Gillon there is a dark undertone. It’s like someone mashed up a classic 1950s rock song with My Bloody Valentine. Gillon has spoken about how she enjoys juxtaposing opposing concepts in her lyrics and the melody of this song shows that she is adept at doing the same with her music.

Maxine Gillon draws on many diverse influences but her music has its own inimitable style. As an artist she defies labelling as her music veers from raucous guitars to the cool keyboards and astute observations (for example) that are the foundation of ‘American Coffee’. With ‘Ultra Lounge’ Gillon has brought us an imagined vision of a down-at-heel chanteuse as she passes along seedy streets and nightclubs, the result is a captivating and thought-provoking EP.

Gillon will be launching ‘Ultra Lounge’ on the 9th December at the Cactus Room.

Stream or buy ‘Ultra Lounge’ HERE.

Photo Credit: Siân Stacey.