Black Market Karma – Wobble

It’s always a good day when Fuzz Club are back in my inbox with their latest release. This time it’s the turn of multi-instrumentalist Stanley Belton aka Black Market Karma. I’ve been following Belton on social media for a while now. I really enjoy his short form videos featuring small portions of songs in development. Wobble will be Belton’s eleventh album. Yes. Eleventh! This prolific musician writes, performs, records, produces and up until now self-releases everything from his own live-in ‘Cocoon’ studio. His ear for a catchy hook and a majestic melody are renowned in psyche circles so it’s only right and proper his songs get the full vinyl treatment.

The albums title refers to tape wobble / wow and flutter, subtle fluctuations in pitch characteristic of analogue recording equipment. Here’s what Belton has to say about this.

“Sonically, I wanted the album to feel like a collection of discarded and worse for wear instruments came to life, refurbished themselves and started to play. The sound is an attempt to give form to the often-formless feeling that is nostalgia. With songs attempting to crystallise a feeling known as ‘fernweh’. A kind of longing for a place and time you’ve never experienced, be it in this world or another.”

“As formats evolved these characteristics were slowly phased out but with this album, I was aiming to put them back in through different methods of sound degradation, reaching for a sweet spot where the sound had a lo-fi flavour but with the punch of a higher quality recording.”

I’m a hopeless nostalgic so this album should be right up my street. Let’s drop the needle and see what’s what.

We open proceedings with the psychedelic swirl of ‘Mushy Conscience’. There’s a lovely mish mash of Beatles sounding mellotron and more modern whooshes and trills. Interspersing it all an acoustic guitar motif that just sets the whole thing off. One word description from me would be glorious. One track in and I’m grinning ear to ear.

Next up ‘Oozer’ gives us the first taste of Belton’s dulcet tones. Based around a cycle of three chords he somehow makes this sound like a sonic journey. Theres a great use of dynamics bringing the lysergic sounds in and out again leaving only his laid-back drawl and that signature acoustic guitar. On what the song is about Belton says “Oozer is about being malleable and adaptive to life as it’s coming at you. Holding close what you believe to be true while also being open to new information and techniques. Liquid moving around an obstacle instead of going through. It’s also about recycling negative mental states through the pursuit of things you enjoy, and repurposing them as a kind of positive fuel.”

Check out the video to the song here.

‘Lead Laces’ has a modern folk feel with a heartfelt vocal delivery from Belton. The lo-fi synth lines add an extra texture that lifts this song to another level. Make no mistake though it’s the guitar that defines the melody and drives the song forward. There’s a real warmth to this song that works its way into your heart.

That Beatles mellotron sound is back for ‘Waterbaby’. Like some updated 60’s lost psychedelic classic Belton knows what buttons to push and levers to pull to get the nostalgia going. This is a lovely musical interlude and keeps the SMiLes coming.

After a dead stop, we launch into the surreally title ‘Sonic Broth Soul Taster’. This is a really playful and youthful sounding track. The autoharp sounding strums make me think of some lost 80’s kids TV theme. You can tell Belton is having so much fun pulling this together. You can just imagine him, like some musical wizard, throwing another instrument into his cauldron of chaos.

‘Puddle Eyed Sponger’ follows. What’s notable here is that the song is structured around a synth part way up in the higher register with the bass lurching about full of intent in the lower register. This leaves loads of space in the middle for the vocals and cosmic guitar solo. I really enjoy how this guy makes music.  

Belton ramps up the epic levels next with ‘Going on Easy’. Starting like a soporific lullaby until a supercharged fuzz bass kicks in and we are off. The drums sound massive but somehow the initial guitar melody still cuts through the mix. This fair gets the blood pumping, there’s nothing like a slow builder to get the dander up.

We chill out again on ‘Thin Wild Mercury’: a mid-tempo stomp. The trade off between the vocal and guitar melodies is really satisfying, particularly in the changes. The glue holding it all together the vintage keyboard drone bringing the nostalgia to the fore.

‘The Din of an Ending’ sends us back down that 70’s folk route. The picked guitar melody is sublime, especially against the moody vocal delivery. I’m getting Fairport Convention vibes at times however the drum machine keeps me with one foot firmly in the present.

‘Olive’ is a short instrumental interlude. A wobbly tone poem that has an introspective feel. Like a moment of quiet thought.

We’re soon on into ‘The Death Throes of Nuance’ it’s another chilled walk through the mind of our songwriter. The pace of the song allows for a hypnotic effect to build as the song loops round and round under Belton’s low-key vocals.

The album comes to a close with the stoned groove of ‘Stepping Loose’. Its like the theme tune for some lost 70’s detective show set on the moors above a quaint fishing village somewhere. At times we almost veer off into funk territory. This is the perfect way to round out this groovy album.

‘Wobble’ has proven to be an instant hit with me. Repeated listens only endear the album further to me. This is a truly timeless album that hits those nostalgic notes whilst maintaining its own place in time. By tapping into that nostalgia everyone who listens to this album is going to be transported off to their own adventures based on their own memories. That is a wonderful gift to give your listener and for me the measure of our guide and musical magician. Thanks Mr B.

‘Wobble’ is the first of a two-part album series and is due for release on Fuzz Club Records on July 26th 2024.

You can follow Black Market Karma on social media here…

Diving Bells – Have Taken to Bed

Continuing this golden era of Irish shoegaze comes a new band to the mix. Dublin’s Diving Bells have just released their debut album but these guys are no newbies to the scene.

The band was originally formed in South Korea by two Irish ex-pats and a drum machine in early 2013. They released two EPs before the fact of living in two separate geographical locations made the whole thing untenable. From the ashes of Dublin alt-rockers, Borders of Sleep, Padraig Kelly (guitars and vocals) resurrected the Diving Bells moniker with fellow BoS bandmate Niall Cooney (bass), and recruited Johnny Cole (guitar) and Samuel Martin (drums) to round out the lineup. The band released their third EP Always Searching for Sleep in 2020. Following that, the band set about recording their debut album, the appropriately named and suitably noisy follow up, Have Taken to Bed. The band have this to say on what we can expect.

“Have Taken to Bed is a swift and restless ride of noisy bliss cycling through Diving Bells’ fears, regrets, and hopes amidst a wall of jangling distortion, reverb-soaked vocals, feedback and fuzz.”

That sounds like a heady concoction and one I’m dying to dip into to.

The album opens with the punchy high energy ‘Places’. It comes replete with all fuzzy distorted guitars you lust after. There’s an early Placebo feel to both the vocal delivery and song construction, both of which make me very happy indeed. I love that closing section with then overlapping vocals and circular guitars. Diving Bells are starting strong.

‘Stay Young’ next is full of exuberance and vitality. Its heads down and thrashing the guitars for what seems like an age before we reach the release of the chorus which is bliss. It’s in the final minute though that the band really shake things up with an ever-ascending anxious guitar solo that builds and builds.

The band turn up to eleven on ‘Tripping’. The wall of distortion in the intro is exceptional and sets the scene nicely for the rest of the song. Theres some Sonic Youth level experimentation going on here and it’s utterly thrilling.

‘Ivanhoe’ delivers guitars that have a guttural growl that sounds brutal and menacing. Over the top though is a catchy pop hook in the verses that lifts everything. The choruses though are dark and looming like a slowly rolling fog over a seaside town. It’s that contrast that makes song for me.

The swells of guitars that drive the ever upward trajectory of the chorus to ‘The End is Built into the Beginning’ are so satisfying. Leaning heavily into the shoegaze aesthetic the song washes over you in waves, pounding your senses. This was made to be listened to at volume.

The approach softens slightly on the more balladlike ‘Clothes’. This song has real space allowing the guitar to become another voice, almost in harmony to the main vocal.  The harmony it provides is haunting and adds real impact to the chant of “they’ll figure it out”.

‘Corrections’ is a slow burner of a song. This is a real lesson on how the simplest of melodies can deliver the most epic of results. The way the layers of instrumentation are added create an effect that’s fit for the largest of stadium stages. This makes it my album stand out track.

The album closes as it began, at real pace. The perfectly titled ‘Upbeat’ comes roaring in all hand claps and heads down guitar attack. When the vocals come in it sounds like there’s at least three parts all complementing each other. This high energy number sweeps you up and leaves you trying to catch your breath. I can only imagine this is killer live.

Have Taken to Bed is a stellar album showcasing a band happy to genre hop and, like musical magpies, use their influences to create something shiny and unique. Theres a real ambition throughout and it demonstrates that Diving Bells are only getting started.

Have Taken to Bed is out now and available for download from the Diving Bells Bandcamp page.

You can follow Diving Bells on social media here…

Fir Cone Children – Jig of Glee

Following on our exciting world premiere of the latest single from Berlin based fungazer Alexander Donat it’s time to dive into the new album in full. Each year he releases an album based on the experiences and creativity of his two daughters now aged nine and eleven. The release of a new Fir Cone Children album has become a bit of an event for me. It’s just not summer without it.

If you’re new to the Fir Cone Children sound, you’re entering a world full of life affirming energy. Donat describes it like this.

“The youthful sound of Fir Cone Children is all about a fast- paced, whooshy music that loves melodies, pop and hooks. It is comprised of naive and happy singing, high-pitched vocal harmonies, distorted and jangling guitars, snarling bass, head-over-heels hyperactive drumming. Stay young at heart, do it like the kids do: dance the jig of glee.”

Let’s follow his advice and dance on into the album.

The opening track is entitled ‘You Are My Animal’, a song about drawing parallels between his daughters love and compassion for her pet hamster and how we can express that in our human relationships. What strikes me immediately as a regular FCC listener his how mature and intricate the vocals have become. This could be a lost Arcade Fire song its that good.

‘Texting’ is next with its off-kilter keyboard drones and propulsive drumming. This is classic FCC. The dynamic energy is contagious and sweeps you up and drags you along for the ride. Again, there’s a noticeable intensification of the complexity of both the lyrics and vocal melody. This is incredibly satisfying and two songs in this album already has me won over.

Up next is the recent single ‘Diamond Dolphins’. The track begins with a joyful whooping in line with the exuberant guitar line. As always, the lyrics fall directly from the kids mouths and straight in to Donat’s songbook. “Diamond dolphins do their job. Taking down the mob”. The punk aesthetic of the song works so well in juxtaposition with the obvious love and affection he feels for his kids and their imaginations. You really feel included in the fun.

‘Youth Lagoon’ is something completely new for Fir Cone Children. The song has an eighties goth electro pop kinda vibe. It’s no less energetic but adds layers of shade where dappled light once would’ve been. This is the most radical shake up of the FCC aesthetic to date. It shows both that Donat himself is unafraid of exploring all musical avenues but also that his kids’ lives are becoming more complex as they grow. This could be my favourite song of his. It’s exceptional.

The album title pops up in the magical stomp that is ‘Witches Lab’. We explore the creation of the lab in the family cellar over a more laid-back groove than usual. Theres a element of Math Rock in the guitar lick over the verses before the wall of noise chorus featuring the witch’s incantation.  It such good fun and is one you’ll go back to time and again.

We move into new wave territory next with ‘On The Prowl’. The guitar fractious and edgy like Donat has been possessed by Wilmo Johnson in places. The fuzz guitar line in the chorus is all consuming and swallows up the song before spitting us out the other side. It’s the final minute though that catches me in the feels every time. That vocal melody with have you punching the air.

The goth sound returns for ‘Malin (Start A Tradition), the tale of carrying a Christmas tree through snow. The music perfectly gets us in the winter mood with its icy, spiky guitar. As the song reaches its conclusion though it erupts into this celebratory, exultant melody that transports us from the snowy roads to the warmth of the Christmas party. This is another great example of Donat’s ability to perfectly recreate his world in music and welcome us in unreservedly.

‘Battery’ has a New York feel with its driving, forward leaning bassline and layered percussion. Vocally Donat is really pushing the boat out with at least three harmony lines going on at any time. It kinda reminds of something Sweeping Promises might do or maybe there’s a bit of DEHD in there too. Again, this is new territory for FCC and I’m finding it incredibly exciting to hear how nimble Donat has been in his writing.

The Donat girls are forming a rock band on ‘I Need An Amp And A Synth’.  The frenetic drumming and thrashing guitars on here capture that youthful exuberance we’ve come to love in these songs. There some pretty impressive lung shredding screaming at the end which I was blown away by. Salutes Mr D.

The album comes to a close with the tale of cuddly toy election in the girls’ bedrooms. ‘Vote For Me’ is something else again. A laid-back walk through the candidates in the election set to the most beautifully sparse picked guitars. Each of the toys lays out their manifesto before the votes are cast and our winner is announced. I’ll not spoil the result for you. This is the perfect closing track for such a joyous album. As the song ends, we are left with and enormous sense of well being and hope for the future. That is thanks to two small girls and their amazing Dad!

Wow, that was yet another emotional ride through the imaginations of the Donat girls. There’s no escaping the fact that with Jig Of Glee he has taken his songwriting, musicianship and production skills up yet another level. Every year when I review the new FCC album, I say this but it stands saying again. The songs welcome you in and you lose yourself in the world they create in your imagination. That childlike exuberance truly is infectious and always makes me think that the world could do with more Alexander Donat’s. We should be so lucky.

Jig of Glee is out now and available from the Blackjack Illuminist Bandcamp page. You can grab it on tape, CD or digitally.

You can follow Fir Cone Children on social media here….

Luster – Like I Do

I first stumbled across shoegaze behemoths Luster back in 2020. I was struggling to find anywhere that would ship me a copy of their debut album Turbulence. Thankfully my DKFM sister Krissy stepped in and made sure I got a copy and since then I have been firmly under their spell. Last years Dopamine Loop release was another stunning album that had me spellbound start to finish.

Luster were founded in L.A. by Adrian Castillo (Seven Generations/Children of God) and Alvin Carrillo (Haarm) and quickly defined their sound as that 90’s MBV wall of sound with electronica and drum sampling. This for me is a rather oversimplified description as they are a many layered animal and one worthy of your time.

Earlier this year the band dropped the single ‘Missing You’ which got 2024 off to a flying start for me.

Much like that single the band’s latest release ‘Like I Do’ was mixed and mastered by Whirr’s Nick Bassett. Having someone so immersed in the scene behind the mixer has definitely helped cement these latest tracks as their best work to date.

‘Like I Do’ floats along on a fuzzy wave of glide guitar before the warbling electronica comes in to add an extra flourish. This is music you feel. I have the volume way up and I can feel every note passing through me, lifting my soul. The spoken word section mid song totally caught me off guard on first listen. Like tuning in to the police scanner. When the track returns, now fully formed, it explodes into orbit, drums now coming to the fore, part military time and part house beat.

This is an exceptional track from an exceptional band and you can check it out here.

‘Like I Do’ is out now via Funeral Party. Head over to the Luster Bandcamp page to grab a digital copy now.

You can follow Luster on social media here…

SINGLE PREMIERE – Fir Cone Children – Diamond Dolphins

With the arrival of midsummer comes the arrival of the latest instalment of the adventures of the Donat girls as seen through their fathers’ eyes. It is with unrestrained glee I bring you the premiere of the new single from Fir Cone Children.

Fir Cone Children is of course the musical project documenting the eventful and creative world of Berlin-based frontman Alexander Donat’s daughters, aged 9 and 11. The previous nine Fir Cone Children albums fused elements of shoegaze, punk and alt rock. All have been nothing short of life affirming, joyous escapism that has made my summer each year. Ahead of the release of album ten, entitled Jig of Glee, Donat today releases a new single called ‘Diamond Dolphins’. I asked the inimitable Mr D to give me the story behind this one.

“My daughters built an entire office in the attic of our garage playing detectives for weeks. They grabbed their scooters or bikes to investigate in our neighbourhood looking for suspicious vehicles and people, communicated through walkie-talkies, took notes, pinned them on a wall, invented exciting and adventurous stories.”

“I was totally amazed by their creativity and had them explain their ‘office’ to me when I told them I’d turn everything into a song. And, oh, the ‘spider stick’ was hilarious! Whenever a detective broke their vows or promises, they had to take a wooden stick to clean the attic from the spiderwebs as a kind of punishment. The name “Diamond Dolphins” refers to the name of their office which they called ‘Dolphin Night’.”

The track begins with a joyful whooping in line with the exuberant guitar line. As always, the lyrics fall directly from the kids mouths and straight in to Donat’s songbook. “Diamond dolphins do their job. Taking down the mob”. The punk aesthetic of the song works so well in juxtaposition with the obvious love and affection he feels for his kids and their imaginations. You really feel included in the fun and as a taster of the album it does the job nicely. Check out the track for yourself here.

‘Diamond Dolphins’ is out now and will be available from the Blackjack Illuminist Bandcamp page. Keep your eyes peeled as I’ll be breaking down the new album, Jig of Glee, ahead of its release on 12 July 2024.

You can follow Fir Cone Children on social media here….

Doused / Sparkler – Split Single

Right now, the shoegaze scene is more buoyant than it’s been in years. There’s a whole new generation folding that shoegaze sound into their collective consciousness and creating a fresh new direction for the genre. Every now and again though you’ll hear a track that is dripping in authenticity and it’s obvious that the band involved absolutely get what great shoegaze is. What’s even rarer though is when a release features two such bands.

I first heard the new split single from Philly band Doused and San Diego based Sparkler a couple weeks back. I’m not overstating things when I say my jaw hit the deck.

Doused

I’ve been a big fan of Doused for a while now. I grabbed copies of their stunning debut album Murmur and recent single ‘cherrycolacrush’ on vinyl almost on release day. It was a no brainer for me to check this single out.

‘Asleep (In A Dream)’ has one of the greatest shoegaze intros of all time. It captures that 90’s aesthetic and folds in that grunge attack to propel us headlong in the sonic assault of that twin guitar attack. What Doused recognise is that at the heart of any great shoegaze song is a great pop song. The boy girl vocal approach only lends another layer of authenticity to their songwriting. The delivery of the song swathed in the waves of glide and reverberating guitars makes this song perfect top my ears. Check it out for yourself.

Sparkler

Sparkler were relatively new to me but their sound hit me immediately. This was the sound of 1991 somehow transported through time to today. Much like Doused this band hooks you in right from the intro which takes a drum sample and layers those glide guitars over the top much like My Bloody Valentine did on the segues between tracks on Loveless. The song then blossoms and is as heady as it comes. Punctuated by that intro riff the song has beautiful vocals, sparse and barely audible through the fuzzed-out haze of the song. The way it should be. I cannot stress how much I love this band and cannot wait to explore their back catalogue. Check out the track here.

The single is out now and available digitally via Flesh and Bone Records and on Bandcamp. There’s also a limited-edition cassette and t shirt available now too. No vinyl option yet but if we all send begging letters maybe we’ll get a seven inch too.  

You can follow Doused on social media here…

You can follow Sparkler on social media here…

Tour News

If you are based in the US, you can catch the bands on tour together in August.

Thought Bubble – Universe Zero

It seems that a lot of friends of Static Sounds Club have new releases happening this summer. Amongst that motley crew are my good muckers from the Shropshire hills, Thought Bubble. Their music has always set its own trajectory and they have consistently established albums that excite the listener with their uniqueness. That sound has veered from electro psych to chillout house and world music of every flavour.

Lyrics, until now, have been relatively sparse in Thought Bubble’s output.  But, at the beginning of 2024, synths player Chris Cordwell and percussionist Nick Raybould invited songwriter and vocalist Peter Gelf to join the group.  Universe Zero, their sixth album, is the result.  Adding vocals to the mix is exactly what you would expect a group like Thought Bubble to do. They push the envelope of their sound and take it off to new vistas. I’m incredibly excited to dive in and find out what we have in store.

Opener, ‘No Hiding’ is classic Thought Bubble. Its skronky, itchy groove gets your foot tapping immediately. Gelf’s vocals feel like they’ve been a part of their sound forever. They just float along on the vibe adding a new and welcome dimension. They’ve created a rather cool video whose visuals really draw you in to the track. Check it out here.

We enter new territory on ‘The Angel In The Loft’. The track opens with the band sitting back and giving us a proper introduction to their new vocalist. Gelf’s voice, rich and full of intent, is given centre stage, letting us really appreciate this new side to Thought Bubble. The minimal instrumentation is eerie and atmospheric wrapping the song in an enigmatic mist.

‘Their Own Scars’ maintains that minimal approach however this time Gelf layers his vocals in harmony. This brings a new punctuation to his delivery which is incredibly impactful. I’ve been really hung up on this track since first hearing it a few weeks back. For me it feels like the sound of a band discovering themselves all over again and revelling in the joy that brings.

Not content with fomenting a whole new sound the band evolve even further on ‘Six Stones’. This sounds like a lost Bowie track launched into the milky way. The inventiveness on show here breathtaking. The backbeat holds the song down while the synths strain at the heavens seeking freedom. As a shift in perspective goes, this just oozes cool and I’m loving it.

‘I Wish You Free’ is a pulsing, airy ballad. The lyric warm and inviting. It feels like the soundtrack to that dream you wish you could have again. You know, that one? The synths sound immense trading off between a sub bass wall of sound and a squelchy motif in the choruses. It’s such a relaxing song, I could listen to it all day. This track also features guitar parts by Shaun Bailey, who has added embellishments to each and every Thought Bubble release, somewhere! Raybould says “He’s like a good luck charm for us! We had to include him.”

We return to the cosmic jams of Thought Bubble of old on the expansive ‘Entropy’. With Gelf’s vocals in the mix I’m getting Peter Gabriel vibes such is the quality on show. I love it when bands get all experimental and just go where the music takes them. Thought Bubble are masters at this and the many winding turns in ‘Entropy’ are evidence of this.

As if hearing me write this Thought Bubble bring the album to a close on a masterclass in the art of musical experimentation. ‘Crystal’ is a staggering 13 minutes in length but not once do you find yourself looking at the clock. It’s an incredible journey through the Thought Bubble universe, exploring new tones, rhythms and textures along the way. I love how welcome this music makes you feel. No barriers are put up to impact your enjoyment of the experience, you just latch on to the groove and off we go!

Once again Thought Bubble have created a beautiful galaxy of grooves for us to visit. The addition of vocals throughout is nothing short of a masterstroke. The choice of Gelf as vocalist too is inspired. It’s like he’s been a part of the band forever. His parts feel, right, for want of a better word. Universe Zero is the sound of a band finding a new trajectory and hurtling themselves forward trusting in their collective vison and by God, it’s paid off.

Universe Zero is releasing early in July and will be available digitally and on limited edition CD from the Thought Bubble Bandcamp page.

You can follow Thought Bubble on social media here…

Geography of the Moon – Pick It Up (And Put It Down)

Back in the hazy days of 2020 I stumbled across this amazing album called Fake Flowers Never Die by Geography of the Moon. The band is a collaboration between singer/pianist Virginia Bones and multi-instrumentalist /producer Andrea AKA Santa Pazienza. After touring for several years, they moved back to Glasgow where Andrea’s family is originally from. Largely influenced by bands from the 80s and the 90s, somewhere between psych rock, post punk, new wave and indie rock, they create their own brand of mashed up styles: Psychwave if you will.

Lyrically they come at their music with real purpose. Every word matters. How each word is said or sung matters. Ultimately this is great poetry set to great music. The perfect marriage.

Since then, the band have upped sticks and been travelling almost constantly. They have played over 450 live shows since the end of Covid restrictions, honing and refining their songs and sound.   

Which brings us to their latest release. They have just dropped ‘Pick It Up (And Put It Down)’ accompanied by a guerrilla shot video by Boris Meshkov on the streets of Bangkok in Thailand.

The track opens on a stuttering bass with the lyrics talking about the importance of recognising we have one life and to live it to the full, experiencing this amazing world before we’re gone. As always, the delivery swings from spoken word to singing which is Geography of the Moons signature style. The guitar sympathetic to that vocal delivery throughout delivering the dynamics with surgical precision. Check out the video to see what I mean.

‘Pick It Up (And Put It Down)’ is out now and is the second single to be released that will feature on their upcoming album Aberdeen-Hiroshima. For my review of previous single ‘Sometimes’ follow this link.

Head over to the Geography of the Moon Bandcamp page to find out more and support their great music.

You can follow Geography of the Moon on social media here….

Bobsled Team – All the Flowers Bloom

There’s some amount of talent coming out of the emerald isle at the moment in the shoegaze and dream pop world. Joining the charge are Belfast’s Bobsled Team who are the DIY-duo of Olly and Kimberley. Very much like myself this pair are vinyl maniacs and like nothing better than the sound of an old valve amp and vintage 90’s recording equipment.

In 2021 the band released their debut album, The Colours Blur and were long-listed for the NI Music Prize. Citing the 80’s underground music scene and Sonic Youth as big influences they have made a name for themselves mainly through word of mouth. Now they are back with their follow up album called All the Flowers Bloom and Olly had this to say on the release.

“We wanted to create an album that took a little more time to grow on the listener. But really, we are just trying to make music that we enjoy. We love the freedom of recording the songs ourselves. Almost everything you hear is us just playing together in a room. We only record when we are inspired. We take our time, and we like to experiment. This time round I got obsessed with old tube amps and the sound of Steve Albini’s drums.”

Let’s see if Bobsled Team grow on us.

The album opens on the slacker ballad, ‘Blue Love’. Theres a real wibbly wobbly feel to the track that’s cemented together with a searing fuzz line. Kimberleys tender vocals weave amongst it all in a most other worldly way. It’s a strong opener and sets the bar high for the rest of the album.

As if hearing me say that Bobsled Team say hold my beer and in comes ‘Analita’. This is dreampop with a capital POP all in bold. The song is painted in the brightest technicolour chords with hooks for days. Check out that chorus, it’s just sublime.

Keeping the pace up ‘Wear it so Well’ is next. It wears two hats this one. In the verses it floats along on the bands twin vocals and minimal instrumentation. Then that chorus comes in and everything tightens up and we are propelled at pace on fuzzed put riffs and on point harmonies.

Taking the pace down a notch or two is ‘Bring It All Together’. Its falsetto vocal line immediately offering us a new texture to enjoy. The drums are brilliant, always moving and creating a really interesting space for the bass to inhabit.  

‘See You Soon’ follows with its atmospheric and moody backing vocal contrasting with Kimberleys direct and melodious approach. It’s here we find the lyric lifted for the album title and I totally get it. This album is so bright and uplifting, It’s the perfect choice.

Using a call and response motif between guitar and vocals ‘Waiting for You’ gives us another glimpse into the bands balladeering songbook. Everything feels so precise and deliberate especially in those changes into the breaks.

So good they named it twice ‘Rewind, Rewind’ follows. This is another song where we get to enjoy the interplay between Olly and Kimberleys vocals. That instrumental breakdown halfway in is so neatly done. Switching up the rhythm before coming back bigger and brighter for the closing section.

Theres something about the vocal melody on ‘Time Goes By’ that’s making think of Springsteen. Can’t put my finger on it. Kimberley puts in stellar performance here. It’s their most ambitious track so far. Drums are bigger, melodies more complex and powerful. This one left me breathless.

‘Just Say’ again sits in ballad territory however its also the first time we hear both Olly and Kimberley rather than harmonising, sing the same vocal part in the chorus. It’s really impactful and turns your head every time.

The album closes on the utterly beautiful ‘Skin and Bones’. Featuring a delicately plucked guitar and the twin vocal approach it captures a real intimacy that is deeply affecting. It has me instinctively reaching for the play button to listen again. That’s how you finish an album.

In All the Flowers Bloom Bobsled Team have created a wonderfully whimsical album that explores all corners of their collective songwriting minds. It’s melancholic and yet uplifting, sometimes in the same verse (‘Wear it so Well’ I’m looking at you). Whilst they cite Sonic Youth and 90’s alternative guitar bands in general as touchpoints, that’s all they are. Those influences are worn in some of the chord changes and guitar tones maybe but Bobsled Team are their own thing. Intimate and vital at every turn.

All The Flowers Bloom is out now on very limited-edition vinyl and digital via the Bobsled Team Bandcamp page.

You can follow Bobsled Team on social media here…

DEHD – Poetry

Some bands take a while to filter through into your consciousness. Into that place where all your favourite music lives. Not so with DEHD. One listen to their single ‘Loner’ from their 2020 breakout record Flower of Devotion was enough for me. That album is just sublime, hit song after hit song. How do you follow that up though? Hold my beer say DEHD as they gleefully launched Blue Skies on the world in 2022. One listen to ‘Bad Love’ from the album will convert you in a second. Again, it’s the perfect album. Now, the band had releases prior to this which are also worthy of your attention, 2019’s Water is a beauty. How does a band keep that momentum going with the weight of expectation hanging over them.

DEHD are Jason Balla (guitar), Emily Kempf (bass/keyboards), and Eric McGrady (drums). As a unit they couldn’t be tighter, having recorded and produced all their albums to date. They create a mix of surf rock, shoegaze and heart wrenching balladeering. Their lyrics are sung direct from their collective heart, being honest and direct at every turn. Sometimes the heartbreak is palpable but what is always constant is the optimism. On this, the bands press release has this to say.

“Across fourteen songs, DEHD throw themselves against the question of what it means to hope, knowing all too well that things end and hearts can break. “You can’t beat death, but you can beat death in life,” wrote Charles Bukowski and upon listening to this album it’s obvious the band has chosen to attempt the latter.”

This time the band have added Ziyad Asrar (of Whitney) to their gang to lend another perspective to the recording process. This is their first time collaborating with someone out with the band and the process has definitely paid off. Let’s dive into the album and see what DEHD have on offer for us.

It’s straight in to a good ol’ DEHD bop with ‘Dog Days’. In its opening two lines it perfectly demonstrates that underlying thread of hope and joy in DEHD’s music. “Everyone I know is breaking hearts tonight. Everyone I know is bleeding, but I know we’ll be alright” It has that propulsive dynamic that the best of their songs possess. Balla fronts this one vocally but Kempf is on hand to lend her considerable talents. I’ve said in a previous blog that I view her vocal as the bands secret weapon. It’s truly unique and special and long may it serve her.

That secret weapon comes into play on ’Hard to Love’ next. Kempf leads the way with her tale of a summer romance. This is a lush sounding track, it’s mostly in the lower register which lends it a certain darkness.

That darkness seems to leak into the intro for ‘Mood Ring’. Kempf’s fuzzed out bass seemingly taking us into garage punk territory. It’s all just a smoke screen though as soon it blossoms into a gorgeous love song. It’s a two hander with both Balla and Kempf trading vocal lines with a focus on the contrast in their styles. Balla’s laid back drawl against Kempf’s acrobatic, pacy melody.

‘Necklace’ leans into that chilled out Balla vibe and delivers a track that’s as cool as a cucumber. “Pressure for connection when we’re not together. Necklace banging on my chest I cross it for protection” opines our narrator, with a longing for home and the love that lies there. Is this a cry for help or a catharsis of sorts. Could be both, all I know is it’s a great song.

All three band mates team up vocally on ‘Alien’. A song that Kempf says “is about me being otherworldly, an artist of light, an angel, an alien or maybe some sort of faerie creature and wanting to find someone like me in this world, someone of my kind.” The overlapping vocals, including McGrady this time, are an absolute treat for the ears. If ever three voices belonged together it’s DEHD.

‘Light On’ starts off low key. A skipping drum beat from McGrady and walking bassline from Kempf is completed by Balla’s typical understated guitar and vocals. Again, the production is so lush and luxurious sounding, something that really suits DEHD’s sound. What gets me is how they make something so impactful with so little in the mix. This is the level of songwriting and musicianship we are dealing with.

Those heady days when you begin a relationship where you’re consumed by that person is explored on ‘Pure Gold’. There’s some amazing lyrics in here like “Easy, breezy, ooo ya, we laugh so freely” or “I accept you as you is. Friend or lover. I don’t care as long as we’re together”. It’s a great example of the optimistic romanticism that typifies DEHD’s music. It’s something that is sadly missing in a lot of todays music. We need more DEHD’s.

Kempf’s muted performance on ‘Dist B’ next tells a story in and of itself. The song was written by her for her bandmates who helped her through a tough time she had with her mental health. It’s absolutely testament to that optimistic thread DEHD weave through everything that although the majority of the lyrics here are brutally honest and taken right from her heart Kempf chooses to end the song with this couplet. “Yes! I’m feeling love. I’m looking up.”

‘So Good’ almost never made the album. Balla had been crashing at McGrady’s place after a breakup left him between places. He would hear him humming the song around the house so they knew it had to be on here. Thank goodness they did. It’s a storming pop number that whips along at a great pace. It’s pretty special when the verses are just as catchy as the chorus!

I mentioned earlier how Kempf’s voice is DEHD’s secret weapon. Well, each member has their moment to really shine on this album. ‘Don’t Look Down’ is Balla’s. This is a perfect pop song. He uses his guitar parts to the max. Just listen to both riffs in the chorus. Angelic and soaring in and out the melodies they create. That’s just genius to me. Couple that with his most direct and powerful vocal performance to date and you have an impeccable song.

After one perfect moment we come to another, this albums centre point and brightest star. ‘Knife’ see’s Kempf taking a swipe at the patriarchy in what she says is “the closest thing to a political song that I’ll probably ever write”. It’s a beautifully measured delivery in the verses that simply blossoms into the most raw and honest declaration of love in the choruses. This song is all Emily and is an incredibly important moment in DEHD’s canon.

‘Shake’ tackles that balance of people’s expectations of us weighed up against our own need to be our true selves. The sparse guitar riff is augmented by a busier drum part from McGrady that just instinctively fills up the space. Minimalism paying dividends once again.

The band took a new approach when writing ‘Magician’. They swapped around the instruments for this one. Balla recounts “This song started with me on drums and Eric on bass. We’d bounce around the room playing different instruments, dreaming up different ideas. Approaching things from a new place felt so fresh, like the energy we had when we first started out writing together.” That freedom they felt in that process translates so well into the finished song. You can really hear that the bass and drums were the backbone that everything else was draped around,

The album closes with the bitter sweet ‘Forget’. Whilst the song is led by Balla’s mournful vocal and guitar, the band support with their backing vocals too. That explosive chorus floors me every time. It’s like they’re singing through the static of confusion that you feel after a relationship ends.

In Poetry DEHD have made a seismic shift in how they approach their songwriting, how they view the recording process and they sound even more in love with it all than ever. The songs are buoyant and full of life. The lyrics ripped wholesale from their lives and shared in these songs forever. Whilst the track listing is fourteen songs long, at a pacy 41 minutes in length it never outstays its welcome. What it delivers is tales of longing, heartache and self-determinism. All through a lens of love and hope. There’s a lesson there for all of us I feel.  

DEHD’s fifth album, Poetry is out now on Fat Possum Records on a wide variety of coloured vinyl, cassette and CD. Head over to DEHD’s Bandcamp to check it out.

You can follow DEHD on social media here…

Photo Credits

Griffin Lotz