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. Now album ten, entitled Jig of Glee, is out in the world Donat has found time to give us one more single with a cool video to accompany it which I am proud to premiere for you today.
I asked the inimitable Mr D to give me the story behind this one.
“While me and my wife were on a hike in Sweden we found this sweet tunnel. Because of what you wrote about ‘I Need An Amp And A Synth’ on Static Sounds Club I decided to film this particular song! It has this TikTok format because I enjoy creating these reels and shorts, and it shows the whole body moving.”
Back when reviewing the album, I had this to say on the subject of this single.
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.
Let’s enjoy the video now.
‘I Need An Amp And A Synth’ is out now and you can check it out over on Soundcloud as well as the video on YouTube.
Word of mouth is an amazing thing. Back in the day that’s how you found out about your new favourite band. It’s so rare to see a band build a reputation organically these days so it was with great joy that I was introduced to The Joy Hotel by a friend.
The Joy Hotel are a seven-piece outfit formed in the musical furnace that is Glasgow in 2017. The band consists of the combined talents of Emme Woods, Luke Boyce, Jack Boyce, Jack Borrill, Jenny Clifford, Juan Laforet and Scott Flanagan. All are seasoned musicians in their own right bringing together years of songwriting expertise and hard yards on the live circuit.
In 2021 the band decanted to Wales and the world famous Rockfield studios to record what was to become their debut album, Ceremony. On the subject of getting this double album out to the world at last the band had this to say.
“It’s obviously a huge milestone for us and, while being a huge physical and emotional undertaking, has been a total privilege to be able to release a piece of work that is a true reflection of who we are as a group.”
“When we set out to make ‘Ceremony’ we wanted to create something huge in scale, ever-changing and an honest example of how we sound when we stand together in a room and play, flaws-and-all. To be able to stand in a legendary space like Rockfield Studios where scores of world changing albums have been made to track our debut is nothing short of a childhood dream realised.”
So, what does the record sound like? Let’s drop the needle and see for ourselves.
The album opens on the sixties-tinged sepia of ‘I Decline’. The band are well named. The sheer joy in the performance flies out the speakers. From the dynamics of the song slowing and peaking, to Woods effervescent delivery and the absolutely luscious backing vocals. I’m already placing this band up there with The Band. After a short segue we merge into track two.
‘Forever Tender Blue’ immediately feels like a lost cut from Surfs Up era Beach Boys. Luke Boyce’s voice is like a fine wine here, warm and smooth. When coupled with Woods impassioned vocal it becomes something really special. The organ and slide guitar add that sweeping majesty that is the trademark of this album.
We’re two tracks in and I’m using words like majesty. This is proper exciting listening
It’s that organ drone that is our segue into the moody ‘First Joy’. Woods opines ‘When you get bored of your head. You are welcome in my bed. In my head”. Only to recant later saying “Let’s go back and pretend. You are welcome in my bed”. The psychedelic swirling instrumentation on this one is extraordinary and transports you off to another world. What I’m noticing right off is that these songs aren’t afraid to take their time but never outstay their welcome.
We’re straight into ‘Jeremiah’ next. An intro that sounds some kind of love child of ‘Dear Prudence’ and early Arcade Fire suddenly morphs into a 50’s love song for a moment before erupting again. This song clearly demonstrates the bands ambition. This isn’t a band playing small club stages. This song is designed for stadiums. Those closing vocal harmonies, like a lost artifact from Brian Wilsons songbook, absolutely floored me. It’s no wonder this was chosen as the lead single. What a statement of intent.
‘Black Balloon’ opens like a piano led ballad with Woods approaching her vocal with tenderness and a real lightness of touch. Like the preceding numbers it’s not long before they switch things up with a glorious chorus melody this time. At the midpoint Boyce joins in, his vocal trading lines with Woods like a conversation. There’s an eerie ‘A Day in the Life’ style orchestral breakdown before the triumphant return of that chorus melody. Quality control has been incredibly high in the song choices for this album. The song flow is superb as we segue seamlessly in the next track.
Largely an instrumental ‘Rapid Eye Movement’ cracks along at pace showcasing that this band are capable of creating a world, a story and an emotional journey without that lyrical narrative. This song has everything from bass solo’s to eerily effected background vocals. Pointed guitar riffs and swirling organ. But, for me, the drums are the real star of the show here. Dictating the pace and setting the mood throughout. The sudden halt telling us part one of the album is over.
Switching to the second record we are straight into another epic intro to ‘Old Man’s Eyes’. The pounding drums and wailing guitars will make this a festival favourite for sure. This song is one big hook. The songwriting experience of the band really comes in sharp focus here. It’s hard not to be impressed when you hear that glorious verse melody bloom into the chorus.
Before we know it, we continue on into ‘While You’re Young’. A McCartney-esque paean to misspent youth. The vocal interplay on this one is so satisfying with Woods and Boyce trading lines and harmonising beautifully. This song contains this amazing line “If I would take the time I’d tell a story worth the glory of my kind. But temptation leads me where my devils lie”. That gets me every time. Theres even a Harrison style slide guitar solo to add to that Beatles influence. Once again, we transition immediately into the next track. This time brevity is key with ‘No Use’ clocking in at under a minute. A jaunty whistling intro leads us to a short, repeated lyric. “No use in holding on. To a love long gone”. It serves as a bridge to take us to the two parter ahead.
‘Twenty Three (A Comedy) – Part 1’ revisits the theme of wasted youth. The melody, often complex and involved, never feels exclusionary for that. You just sit back and let this one lead you along. The wistful lyrics and jaunty instrumentation keep you hooked throughout. The band have us in the palm of their hands now. ‘Twenty Three (A Comedy) – Part 2’ an instrumental piece that follows again allows the band to stretch themselves veering from playful fairground style waltzes to eighties euro drama themes and cheeky false stops. This is a band having fun and keeping us on our toes with so many dynamic changes in such a short space of time. Just stunning.
That dynamic performance just gets upped a notch on ‘Killing Time’. A beautiful ballad that starts off quite small and contained before slowly blossoming into a punchy and passionate singalong. That drop out for the spoken word section is so effective. You don’t expect it and it makes for quite the cinematic listening experience with the sweeping strings and lush backing vocals. How can they still be pulling songs of this quality out the bag.
The album concludes with ‘Small Mercy’. Opening as a gentle ode to the day after a good night, regretting your choices the night before. Delivered by a wistful Woods I really love that Boyce comes in only once to deliver a key line near the end. Really impactful. What’s even more impactful is the closing instrumental section that I can only describe as cosmic sounds. The wailing feedback mimicking that last moment as the band put down their instruments and take a bow before leaving the stage.
Breathless. That’s how I feel at the end of each listen of Ceremony. Some albums you can stick on in the background and get on about your day. Not so here. Ceremony demands your full attention and rewards that commitment on every listen. I applaud The Joy Hotel for their bloody-minded ambition in bringing us this gem of an album. There has been an incredible amount of love and care poured into every aspect of this release. That much is obvious. The carefully crafted lyrics, the astounding melody choices and the interwoven nature of the album flow all come together to make a listening experience you will want to come back to time and again. If you need some of that in your life, may I recommend a stay at The Joy Hotel.
Ceremony is out now on So Recordings. There’s a stunning double vinyl and some nice bundles you can grab from the bands webstore or get the wax from your favourite record shop.
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…
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 Bedis 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.
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.
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.
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….
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.
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…
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.
Static Sounds Club 