Labels: Of National Importance Records
Review by: MH
Hmm, that cover really makes me think of Hot Water Music. Before I get too distracted, this is a band from Barnsley and it sounds like they’ve been around for a good while having formed in 2006 with the band members having featured in a number of post punk bands as far back as the 80s. These guys play what I would probably lump in somewhere between dream pop and shoegaze and you can tell the band members have been around a bit even if the band itself is relatively recent. It’s nicely laidback and medium-paced with a fuzziness and distortion to the guitar sound – perhaps less of a 90s sound than the traditional references for shoegaze. “The Archivist” opens proceedings and gets pretty driven towards the end as the guitars start to soar. It’s a solid album on the whole. “The Smoking Party” is a standout – nicely sad and laced with nostalgia. It makes me think of a slightly fuzzier version of Sounds Like Sunset from Sydney. I suppose I’ve been here long enough now to start making references to Australian bands. “Planets”, which appears halfway through, is more of a soundscape. Towards the end, “Gene Pool” features soaring, shimmering guitars and has the whole melancholy feel down to a tee. Nice – I’ve got plenty of time for music like this.