The October Game  - Wildblood

Certain pieces of music can develop an uncanny grasp over listeners, a kind of instinctive, emotive draw that threatens to immerse them again and again, enchantingly appealing. A work of genuine poise, beauty and sincerity, ‘Wildblood’, the Sophomore album from Bedfordshire quartet The October Game, could well prove a prime example, sumptuous layers of instrumentation and mesmerising rhythm overlaid with melancholic, rich vocals, the likes of ‘Concrete (When We Were Invincible)’, and ‘Boxing Underwater’ bringing chills to the spine and lodging themselves firmly in the mind.

To be clear, it’s likely that The October Game won’t appeal to all; this is powerful music, but can require substantial attention and contemplation to reveal the full extent of its charms... those in search of quick fix listening may find much to engage them here, but there’s far more to be found here than that approach could uncover. Built upon a framework of delicate guitar, bass and percussion, over the course of ‘Wildblood’s length we see forays into a myriad of moods and styles, the earthy roots of folk incorporated into soaring, dynamic compositions that carry serious emotional weight. Rounded off by the contributions of numerous guest musicians on everything from Viola to Digeridoo (see ‘Something Wrong,’ and the instrumental ‘Wildblood’ for illustrations of this variety), this eleven part alt-rock tapestry has been a long time in the making, and it shows. There’s no real weak link to be identified here, each song complementing that which leads and follows it; this album can take you on a journey, engaging but subtle, and it deserves to find an audience. For the most part self produced and self recorded, and released through The October Game’s own label Carmandie Records, the album is testament to the singular drive and vision of the creative partnership responsible, with an understated air and lack of urgency that will polarise opinion, but also inspire some real love from those that do ‘get it.’