Still Corners
Greg Hughes
Various, Producer
Tessa Murray
Vocals, Keyboards
Location: London, England
Genre: Dream Pop, Synth-pop
Years Active: 2007 -
Meaning of the Name: Taken from the poem 'New Hampshire' (1923) by Robert Frost.
Way of Working: Led by Greg Hughes
Essential Releases
Strange
Pleasures (2013)
Second album. Lush dream pop. Hypnotic.
Slow Air (2018)
Atmospheric open sky music.
Still Corners craft music that explores open landscapes and the branching possibilities of the road. Tracks like 'The Trip' and 'Black Lagoon' evoke feelings of adventure and freedom as they hurtle through starlit skies, secluded coves, and burning hot sand dunes. Such places are big enough to swallow you whole, vistas where time loses importance, conventional rules no longer apply, and you can be reborn.
"Dreaming as the hours fade awayThroughout their discography, Greg Hughes' production, with its dreamy ambience and lush swirls of warm electronic fuzz, combines with Tessa Murray's gliding vocals to create a sense of drift. The sound feels like being at peace in an atmospheric neverland between two points, hoping to never arrive at a destination. Yet, the kinetic drums propel the songs forward, and knowing the journey will end is what gives it true meaning.
Watching as the sunlight does the same
Everything we are is on the line
Let's pretend it's not us tonight" (from 'Black Lagoon')
While the instrumental aspects of the music create a cinematic environment and take prominence over the lyrical content, the vocals crucially humanise proceedings, reminding the listener that a place is only as interesting as the people who pass through.
This deliberate artistic choice, to downplay the importance of lyrical content, is a hallmark of dream pop that encourages subjective interpretation. Much like Impressionist painting, it's a play of suggestion, a shadow in a reflection, of fluid meanings that take shape and transform. This watery concept is echoed in song titles such as 'Currents', 'Submarine', and 'Black Lagoon'.
While Still Corners haven't stormed the charts or won major awards, they have had a lasting impact on the dream pop/shoegaze revival of the 2010s, with sleeper hits such as 'The Trip' racking up over 90 million streams on Spotify.
Skills
*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.Emotional Impact
85
Mental Impact
55
Originality
65
Artistry
70
Authenticity
60
Live
70
Production
85
Musicianship
70
Singing
75
Songwriting
85
Danceability
70
Fun
70
Consistency
70
Range
75
Cool
70
Charisma
60
