Live review from Planetrox China Final 2015:
1. Intro
2. 來自天空的花
3. Lonely Day
4. 地平綫
一陣陽剛味的洗禮後，終於迎來了一把能溫柔、能魅惑的上海女聲樂隊Horizon。開場曲〈Intro〉端出了小徐呻吟式的歌唱，搭配龐克搖滾的音色，高音間的跌蕩以至編曲甚有Yeah Yeah Yeahs或白目樂隊的烈女本色。（而小徐的舞姿亦相當撩人呢。）〈來自天空的花〉繼續維繫著龐克的味道，小徐卸下結他後聲音更集中且具穿透力。〈Lonely Day〉及〈地平綫〉兩首pop rock作品把場地抹上了昏黃溫暖的色調，歌中滲著樂隊提倡的愛、夢想、積極，吉他溫暖厚實的間奏圍繞著身體，久久不散；簡化了的鼓點和貝斯亦是恰到好處。首次踏足香港的他們表現不俗，大部份曲目皆是easy-listening之作，主音的細膩度及穩定度雖稍為不足，但聲底渾厚的她相信具潛質更進一步。而結他手加入和音後有加強旋律，但宜多調控兩者音量，以免喧賓奪主。
– Lily Sung
The expectation is always set a higher than a normal show when you come out to see a band, especially when the winning band will go on to Canada to represent Hong Kong / China at a long-established festival. So everyone gives it a little extra above and beyond their normal set.
In addition, you may not be familiar with some of the bands playing. And this was case tonight with a very special little band from Shanghai named HORIZON. These guys were guitar, bass, drums, and a female front person. And one of the tricks musically that makes them sound so interesting is it’s not how full they can sound, but it is in the openness and feel of the sometimes missing notes or beats that makes the music so intriguing.
It is very hard to categorize them. They reminded me a little bit of the Divynals, Pretenders, Cranberries. And they also reminded me most of a wonderful band from San Francisco from about 1979, Pearl Harbour and the Explosions.
They opened their set with Intro. Very solid power pop bottom end, with lots of open string feel guitar patterns, and a very interesting unique feel. It really felt like some of the great power pop bands of the late 1970’s. Their second song 來自天空的花, again had a very heavy driving bottom end, but with the guitar taking a minimalist approach playing lots of 3rds and 4ths. Nothing very special, but it was unique and unusual in how he played, with lots of octaves. Really very cool!
Next song was Lovely Day with a really nice, sweet composition and arrangement. Again, the distinct feel of open space, lots of strange chord patterns and octaves. Their last song was 地平綫 and the composition and arrangement combined all of the stylistic things that made them so interesting. But was also quite dynamic, and included some very cool vocal harmonies with the guitar player and lead singer. This I wished they had done more of during their set.
The band overall were musically and vocally quite solid. The lead singer and guitar player were both playing some very unusual, esoteric notes, rhythms and patterns that really made the experience of seeing HORIZON quite delightful and enjoyable.
– Gregory Tancer
