Non Talkers

The music of the Non Talkers breathes pop, peppered with folk melodies. We can tell without a doubt that it’s going to be good. Their debut EP “Pendulum of time” includes simple songs which stay with us. A blend of voices backed by acoustic guitars, it’s like an invitation to a world of wonders. It promises a special record which it’s a pleasure to listen to. A record which depends largely on acoustics and on the contrasting male and female voices, Marco Brantner from Portugal and Evita Brantner from Belgium, a couple who are the heart of the band. They’re relaxing themes which get into our inner selves and grab our soul.

A promising beginning, called Non Talkers, for someone for whom music has already been a way of life for many years.

Band members:

Marco Brantner – lead vocal, guitar
Evita Brantner – lead vocal
João Arieira – drums
Jorge Rasteiro – electric guitar
João Rangel – bass
Filipe Alturas – keyboard, backing vocals

FIRE BURNING IN MY VEINS:

The EP starts off with Fire (Burning In My Veins), a remarkable, romantic, yet optimistic record that is flooded with personal revelations reserved exclusively for those who patiently digest every second of it. It begins with Evita Brantner’s strong but warm voice that lays a very intimate and personal atmosphere for the audience to lean into: “I remember the first time your eyes met mine/ I was caught by your smile which almost blinded my sight” And right after the first lines, we get introduced to Marco Brantner’s voice, who Surprise, Surprise!… is Evita’s husband! “You got me hooked in that moment that lifted my soul” the two sing in unison mirroring each other’s feelings if this doesn’t make you believe in true love, you need to check your heart. A beautiful buildup leads us to the catchy hook which, btw, picks up in enthusiasm and positive vibes musically: “Fire, Fire felt it burning in my veins/ Like a stream of heat that increased the flames/ Of this frozen heart/ Ice, Ice has been melted by this sun/ That rose up from behind the stones/ That were shading my way” I find it curious how this happy chorus carries a tinge of the past heartbreak, of the “ice” one piles up inside before meeting the right person.

YOU DON’T FEEL ASHAMED:

You Don’t Feel Ashamed is the second song off the Pendulum Of Time project, and my oh my, it’s a huge change both musically and lyrically from Fire, getting ever-so-close to actual country music. “Feeling as if the world was breaking/ Screaming like a cat in a hole” we hear the opening lyrics. Surprisingly, the music video was released an entire year ago, so presumably, the song was written and recorded even longer ago, which means… the Non Talkers had an artistic hunch about the global lockdown that was to follow half a year later. Spooky! The entire message goes to heavily focus on injustice, deceit, betrayal, manipulation, and it could be considered an open letter to all politicians in the world. Yes, all of them. There’s not a single sane person in that “industry”. The Non Talkers sing what we all truly think: “You’re a vulture looking for dead meat/ Hungry for dirty money and tears/ Tempting promises are your bait/ For fooling good people and exploiting their faith”. The instrumental has a predominant feel-good element to it, but that electric guitar and the singers’ slightly angered voice go hand in hand with the message You Don’t Feel Ashamed portrays. And one minute detail that speaks volumes! That moment when Evita’s feminine, heart-warming voice says “you’re full of crap”, you know sh*t is about to go down!

PENDULUM OF TIME:

The third and last song, carrying the very title of the EP, Pendulum Of Time, is the most romantic track thus far, deliberately diving in melancholy while keeping an air of mystery about the true meaning of it. When you watch the music video, it is pretty obvious the song explains the trials and errors, the slow and the fast times, the ups and downs, the destiny and the intentional choices about love… Or does it? If you listen just to the song itself, “I’ve done the best I can do/ with my designated time/ the rest was not for me to decide/ how to live my life”, it can bring you to tears as it acts like an introspective on the entirety of your life on earth. Plainly put, the song can be juxtaposed to both love for others, and love for and within yourself. It is a song of sombre majesty, of musical brilliance and versatility, of timeless meaning and profound emotional after-effects. I also strongly believe this is the song where Evita’s voice shines the brightest and is at its most comfortable place in her register. It just sounds effortless and soulful all the way through. Lovely!