Scala

by John BushInitially a one-off project involving most of Seefeel plus Mark Van Hoen (aka Locust), Scala gradually took on the feel of a major operation with the apparent dissolution of Seefeel during 1997. At the outset, the group involved vocalist Sarah Peacock, percussionist Justin Fletcher, and bassist Daren Seymour of Seefeel with Van Hoen in the producers chair. Scala released an EP and a full-length album during 1996-1997 while Mark Clifford — Seefeels nominal frontman and the only member not involved in the new project — worked on his own Disjecta project. More indebted to noise and trip-hop than the looped sound-wash Seefeel had been known for, the quartet also focused on a somewhat tighter song structure and emphasized Peacocks vocals. In early 1996, Scala released the Lips & Heaven EP, followed the next year by the debut full-length Beauty Nowhere, on Britains Touch Records. Though Seefeel had released their third record Ch-Vox in late 1996, it was their last. Scala returned with two additional albums, released almost simultaneously in 1998: To You in Alpha and Compass Heart.