Aquilo is a relatively new band, having gained attention from the BBC via the release of their first two EPs in 2014 and the use of "You There" in the trailer for (2014). Aquilo consists of Tom Higham (25) and Ben Fletcher (21), who were neighbours that grew up in Silverdale, Lancashire, England. Their aesthetic has been described by The Guardian's Paul Lester as "a ravishingly refined sort of dreamily sad electronica", who notes that their music "sounds like waves of aural honey pouring from your speakers". Comparions to British compatriots Coldplay, London Grammar, The xx and Slowdive have been made; The Telegraph's Hayden East notes that "they’re a bit like Coldplay, only more earnest" (while pointing out that Higham and Fletcher describe their own sound as "soft, melodic electro").
Their brand of emotionally intelligent piano-driven, lush ambient electro-dreampop can be easily appreciated via "Good Girl", a track that's slightly more uptempo and slightly less melancholic than their other offerings. There's an arresting poignancy in the track's vocal delivery, which evokes heartbreak and longing in a heartfelt, authentic manner by virtue of lyrics that effortlessly flow from one verse to the next - and a catchy chorus:
'Cause I've been looking for a good girlYeah, I'm looking for a good girlTell me if you think I've foundMaybe there's a chance you'll let me know'Cause I've been looking for a good girlYeah, I'm looking for a good girlTell me if you think I made it outCan I get a sign before you go?'
Stereogum's Melissa Locker makes a spot-on observation when she featured Aquilo as a 'Band to Watch': "The up-and-coming band specializes in making dreamy electronic music that crashes over you like a sonic wave. It’s beautiful and honeyed and full of relentless emotions". While the song's subject matter hardly counts as being novel, there's enough complexity in the emotion, atmosphere and ambience being created here to compel multiple (emphatic) listens.
