Pickle Darling – Laundromat

New Zealand-based artist Lukas Mayo has sought out the magic in the mundane for their latest album, Laundromat. Mayo crafts an engaging lo-fi bedroom pop sound that has drawn parallels with Sufjan Stevens, Grandaddy and Youth Lagoon among others. After the more elevated, cleaner sound of their previous albums, Mayo was keen to return to their musical roots in order to produce an album of songs that they were happy with. Here’s what Mayo has to say on that very subject.

“I felt that I couldn’t just follow my instincts anymore, I wanted to return to how I made music right at the very start. For it to be a daily practice I have to focus on what it is that I enjoy about it, I became really excited to make music for myself again––to just enjoy making music again.”

With a lot of the songs on the album clocking in at under two minutes it’s obvious Mayo has enjoyed not only the musicality of this process but also defining how long (or short) a good song can be.

All that said let’s drop the needle on this one and get exploring.

The album opens on the childlike lullaby of ‘Early Geometry’. The simple melody and stripped back instrumentation set the scene nicely for us. No chorus or verse is identifiable. This is simply a songwriter pouring their heart out into the music and letting it fall as it may.

That form continues into ‘In Good Health’. The opening gambit of “The last time you said I was wrong to bend my life around a song. I climbed inside a Higgs boson to cry” is just inspired writing. The melody perfectly encompassing the break up story, like an elongated haiku.

‘King of Joy’ is described as an introduction in reverse. It has that tick tock meter of a Postal Service song and evolves over its short run time into driven, chiming masterpiece.

The first of two lengthier tracks follows. ‘Head Terrarium’ is a song of two halves. It opens on a gentle stroll of a verse. The writers inner monologue laid bare in the lyrics. It’s only in the second half where we get to the root of our narrators’ insecurities. “Well, I’m not as pretty as I like. No, I’m not brilliant as I like”. Instantly identifiable and hugely engaging through its melodic joyous delivery.

‘Choruses’ is a conversation with a “Jonny”, an artist who writes enviable choruses. The effected vocal playing off the gently plucked banjo is a delight to listen to.

The conscious brevity continues with the bite sized ‘Computer Repair’. The tale of receiving a link to some online content with riveting comments beneath. Again, the banjo picks out the melody with stabbed strums accenting the changes. All whilst a wonderfully wonky keyboard motif wobbles away in the background.

It’s the turn of the title track next. The first hook of the album presents itself and, in that moment, you realise just how alien that concept feels. We’re now at the halfway point and Mayo is changing things up, introducing a new texture in a more distorted guitar (I think). But it is the song structure itself which marks this transition point. Up until now we have eschewed all form and pre conceived ideas, and got lost in it. This is so clever. It’s like they are saying, remember this is what you think a song should be like.

Which makes ‘Marcie’ all the more beautiful and special. The microcosm of the girl’s life encapsulated in these precious seconds. The musical accompaniment slightly baroque and perfectly sympathetic to the subject matter.

An ebullient and upbeat instrumental follows in ‘Kinds of Love’. It’s layered with a voice memo from Mayo’s friend Bedbug and coaxes a wry smile from the listener. I like to leave long messages for my friends too and can totally identify here.

The second of our longer form tracks arrives in the shape of ‘Invercargill Hotel’. In this song Mayo opts once again for that clockwork rhythm which is so affecting and effective in its role at moving the story along. I defy anyone not to well up when Mayo, in a moment of complete selflessness sings “I hope he makes you feel at home”. The flatline tone signalling the end of that relationship and the song.

‘Scared’ relaying that moment when our narrator loses their voice and “Can’t feel it in my throat”. For a performer that would be a scary moment and this artist just knew that capturing that emotion in a song would work.

The album closes on the second instrumental of the album. ‘More Kinds of Love’ is a fitting adieu. It’s structured like a fond farewell and features another voice memo, this time from Tony Stamp. It’s measured cadence and rhythm send us on our way sated and, if you are anything like me, back to the start of this wonderful album to listen again.

In Laundromat Mayo has created a collection of songs that draw the meaning and emotion from the minutiae.  Songs now feels like a redundant term actually. We need a new word to describe what we have just experienced. This insight they have afforded us into their head and heart is both touching and uplifting and I feel much richer as a person for listening to it. This feels like it could change things. Let it change you.

Laundromat is out on 16th June 2023 on Father/Daughter Records. There are a couple of lovely vinyl variants to choose from as well as CD, cassette and digital options. You also find it over on the Pickle Darling Bandcamp page.

You can follow Pickle Darling on social media here…..

Under The Sun – Robot World

I’ve made no secret of the fact I love shoegaze music. What I love even more is when I hear someone take that genre I love so much and push and stretch it into new and exciting shapes. In the UK we’re lucky to have Matt Catling aka Under The Sun. Regular visitors to Static Sounds Club will know I covered Matts last release Ocean Breeze where I discovered its meditative beauty. Now he returns with a new EP called Robot World. Here’s what he has to say about his new release.

“Following from my last release “Ocean Breeze” I’m back with “Robot World.” This time mastered by Andrew Rose (Whimsical, Tears Run Rings & Monster Movie). The title track “Robot World” brings the dark atmospheric of post punk vocals with the political climate over the last three years alongside the filters of electronic beats like Trip Hop and the wall of shoegaze guitars into the surface with robotic spoken words.”

Sounds intriguing, let’s check it out!

The EP opens on the slow burn of the title track. The guitar work is subtle, dynamic and fluid. Nimbly filling the space around his hushed vocal delivery. The drums add an element of electronica which should clash but this works. Catlings ear for experimentation is finely tuned and you know he’s a safe pair of hands. This is densely textured shoegaze with a psychedelic edge teamed up with a dystopian political message at its core. The promo video illustrates this beautifully whilst demonstrating Catlings optimism too. No spoilers…

‘Abstract Art’ was originally released in demo form back in 2021. Now we are treated to a fully realised version. The guitars now headier and in your face whilst the vocals have a distant, yet vital role in the mix. The wall of beautiful noise is overwhelming and all-consuming and fans of the genre are going to eat this up.

Catling amps things up with ‘Submission’. I think this is his most experimental piece to date. This is extreme volume. Like a hurricane of guitars in your head. If you close your eyes and crank the volume in your headphones this becomes almost hypnotic and meditative. The guitars sound like they are being played with chainsaws at points. This is wholly intoxicating and I’m happy to go under.

The EP closes on sedately paced ‘Sunrise’. This song oozes warmth and comfort. The guitars are gentler than anything we’ve heard thus far. They ebb and flow, peeling back to reveal a hidden vocal every so often before swallowing it in their waves of distortion. It’s a psychedelic daydream and one you can get lost in.

Once again Under The Sun has produced a stunning release. It never fails to astonish me how shoegaze can morph and bend into something new but still recognisably shoegaze. Catling pulls this off with consummate ease on Robot World and has set the bar high for sonic experimenters everywhere.

Robot World” is out on 2nd of June, via Shore Dive Records, on digital formats and limited-edition Compact Disc via Bandcamp.

You can follow Under The Sun on social media here….

Photos Stuart Groves James Howard

Thought Bubble – Weaving

Psychedelic dream weavers Thought Bubble are back with a new album. Weaving is the follow up to their 2022 release Nowhere and this time is being released through the ever-amazing Woodford Halse label. Thought Bubble, as you’ll remember, are keyboardist Chris Cordwell and percussionist Nick Raybould. They create a colourful soundscape based around luscious synth patterns and varied percussive instruments.

On Nowhere the band were processing the aftermath of Raybould’s lifesaving heart surgery. I asked the band what informed the recording of this set of songs.

“Some of these tracks were recorded during a very testing two-year period, where, despite living in fairly close proximity to each other in the Shropshire hills, we were separated by that original Covid-19 wave. And then, when one of us was diagnosed with something more serious, we had to resort to isolation for even longer.”

“This is another album created mainly via remote recording, from our own home studios. That’s when some of the darker and eccentric weaving patterns on these tracks presented themselves. Anyway, that’s more than enough explanation. The listener and their imagination should perhaps interpret these tracks beyond the starting point we have provided here.”

Its time to lie back, put the headphones on and let Thought Bubble take us away.

The album opens on the feedback squalls of ‘Plasma Playpen’. This cosmic shuffle takes us on a paranoid trip to the outermost corners of our imaginations. Like that episode of the X-Files that had nothing to do with aliens but some weird happening or other. It’s a great opener and sets us up nicely.

What do sounds do? ‘Sounds Affect’ is the answer and Thought Bubble are making their point well here. There’s a flavour of eastern promise and desert journeys at dusk.  Raybould’s percussion and drumming driving us along on our way. Synth strings sweep us off our feet and excite our senses. This is a prime example of why I love this band. They vividly conjure images in your mind, and so readily too.

Flipping the story, in comes ‘Sloping’ an ambling giant with a mile wide stride. Cordwell is firmly in charge here and uses his synths to paint a sonic canvas so wide and deep it totally consumes you as a listener. Drums adding their punctuation to the story in a really sympathetic way. It really speaks to the unwritten communication these two guys have.

We head off into our dreams next with ‘Sound Asleep’, but it’s a restless slumber for us. That nervous twitch that’s part of the DNA of Thought Bubbles music captures our attention. The piano dances around us prodding and poking our senses. Making sure we’re still paying attention. Really clever stuff is this!!

‘200 Teeth’ harks back to Nowhere in its structure and tone. Guest guitarist Shaun Baily from ambient electronica outfit MonkeyTrial makes his triumphant return. He brings another texture to the album, a freedom that is the natural reflection of the boys locked tight tone.

Another collaborator paints his psychedelic flourishes on ‘Pondlife’. Sonic explorer Shankara Andy Bole brings his deft touches to the party and man, this track soars. It feels like a spaced-out raga or cosmic Bedouin band. Amongst all this there’s this almost p-funk bassline going on. How this all works together I don’t understand but it just does.

‘Adjust Your Soul’ introduces the golden tones of actress Julia Binns. This feels like an eighties style ballad but skewed through that anxious Thought Bubble lens. When the band pause to allow space to hear Binns voice for a moment its like they pull back the musical curtain, just for a second or two. It’s only momentary as we’re soon back into their many textured world.

The album closes on the two-part epic that is ‘Indelible’. The opening half has this call and response synth part that carries that trademark nervous energy. It’s a slow driven intro which makes the second half so impactful when it arrives. Drums and Bass in perfect sympatico, picking up the pace and morphing this track into something cosmically uplifting.

Thought Bubble are a one of those unique bands. You know it’s them after only hearing a few seconds of a track. Not many bands can claim that. Each album has transported me off in my imagination and had me smiling ear to ear and Weaving is no exception. I keep having to remind myself that this is only two guys! The broad sound stage they create is so impressive as it gives us so much to explore as listeners. If this is your introduction to the world of Thought Bubble then I envy you. You have the journey of a lifetime ahead of you.

Weaving will be released by Woodford Halse on 1stJune 2023 on cassette and digitally via their Bandcamp page.

You can follow Though Bubble on social media here……

Lumari – En Phase

Minneapolis shoegazers Lumari are building on the promise of their early singles with debut album En Phase. The band are brothers Dave and Dan West, Robert Caple and Margo Pearson. They’ve been working closely with renowned producer/engineer Eric Olsen to refine and hone their sound. When asked to describe themselves the band have this to say.

“Our music is intense yet atmospheric; visceral yet ethereal. The songs are full of emotion, telling stories that resonate with listeners on a deep level. We’re quickly becoming a popular band in the Minneapolis and shoegaze music scenes, garnering critical acclaim from all corners of the internet world.”

The album opens on the lilting sound of ‘Starlit’. The dreamy guitars are the perfect foil for Pearson’s beautiful voice. The drums could easily be keeping a fairly straightforward beat however we’re treated to a fine display from someone who really knows their kit. As an opening track this does a great job introducing us to who Lumari are and what they have in store for us.

‘In Waves’ follows beckoned in on ghostly guitar wails. Verses have a lot of space with vocals and bass doing the early work. There’s nice contrast between the light of the synth flourishes and guitar strums versus the dark tones in Pearson’s moody delivery. This is a superb song given wings with a really dynamic production.

The ghostly guitars return for the intro to ‘Slow Kill’ but then things take an unexpected turn. Instead of the shoegaze song we are expecting the band gift us a jaunty, jangle pop number with distinct C86 nods. We skip through the verses but it’s in the chorus that they pull a switcharoo on us and things get slightly more gazey. The instrumental break as we head in to the final minute is exceptional. Great track.

A lonely synth begins ‘Wake Up’ next but its not long until the band arrive all at once. Again, the drums dance a merry dance, pure ear candy. The guitars chime throughout lending this song a brighter sheen than its predecessors, a nice production choice. It’s subtle things like that that keep you on your toes as a listener.

‘Doors and Corners’ comes crashing in next, the harmony between bass and the vocals really packing a punch. It’s no surprise to me that the band chose this catchy number to feature on a split seven inch with Sex Park. It has that immediacy that you need in a lead single making this my album stand out track.

Taking the tempo down next is the atmospheric ‘Carina’. This one feels like a cool breeze on a warm day. The band skew their gaze sound in a more indie rock direction creating this really unusual effect. The song feels like a more straightforward ballad whilst maintaining the edgy sound that gaze affords.

‘Neon Mirror’ channels ‘How Soon is Now’ and morphs that into a soaring anthem. I can imagine that when played live this track will send the mosh pit crazy. The moment the chorus kicks in is so impactful it leaves you breathless.

The album closes out on ‘Cloud Control’. Crystalline guitars guide us into the swoon some verses. This one is a slow burner. As we go along, we get hints of the maelstrom of sound heading our way. The final two minutes of the song are ecstatic. Guitars climb to the heavens as Pearson’s lofty vocals lead the way. This is how you finish an album. Just exceptional.

En Phase is out now and available from the Lumari Bandcamp page digitally and on clear Coke Bottle Green vinyl! If you want the wax, I’d recommend being quick as it’s limited to 100 copies!

Follow Lumari on social media here ….

Strangers in My House – Leave It Undefined

Drifting in to my consciousness this week came the debut album from Polish gazers Strangers In My House. This enigmatic four piece from Kraków have released three singles and an EP since forming in 2019. Leave It Undefined is their first long player and looks to develop on that dreamy, shoegaze sound to something all their own. Strangers In My House are Jakub Kurek (Guitar), Jakub Zając (Guitar), Magdalena Radecka (Vocals), Bartosz Pałka (Drums) and Agnieszka Ryczek (Bass).

I asked the band how the album tracks differ to what they’ve released to date.

“Our new album is definitely stronger in sound, contains more contrasts and has a slightly psychedelic vibe. One of the songs on the album is a re(recorded and improved song from 2019 called “Words”, from which our band’s adventure began.”

So on to adventures new and the opening track, ‘Sweet Relief’. A pulsing guitar and driving drums welcome us to the album. That psychedelic vibe is immediately evident and lends the song a gloriously spacious atmosphere. The vocals seem more in focus or sharper in the mix than what I’ve heard previously. This song is a statement of intent and sets the bar high for the rest of the album.

We move into the reworked ‘Words’ next. My god, this song really kicks in hard now. Where the original floated along on dreamy tones this time guitars are dialled up to eleven. The vocals are superb. Delivered with power and an assured confidence. This feels like a whole new song. Amazing!

Last year’s single ‘Clouds’ is next reworked for the album release. It’s signature chiming guitar motif carrying and lifting the melody working as a foil to Radecka’s beguiling vocal delivery. I particularly love the middle eight break down, it includes some really lovely guitar textures.

There’s an utterly exceptional intro to ‘Undefined’ next.  The band erupting into action over the acrobatic vocals and sympathetic harmonies. The ethereal atmosphere in this song is skilfully maintained through the minimal guitar parts and choral harmonies. You can tell why the band picked this as their title track and centre point for the whole album.

The guitars really amp up the fuzz in ‘Rush Controlled’ letting us see another side to their song writing. This song really moves, everything has such a dynamic attack from the drums double timing the ride cymbal to the feedback flourishes in the verses. I can imagine that this will give rise to many a moshpit when played live.

‘Silver Nights’ brings a psychedelic edge back to proceedings. I particularly love the vocal effects here lending a ghostly counter to Ryczeks ever stunning delivery. The lead guitar works as a musical response to the lyrics. I found myself thinking of Siouxsie Sioux during this number, high praise indeed.

‘Destination Point’ is what I’d call a real “Wow track”. The drums are incredible here, absolutely dominating the sound stage with their skipping counter rhythm. The verses are a joyous skip through a sunny day before the bells chime and ground us back to reality. This is some really clever song construction not to mention the skilful production choices. This is my album stand out track.

The album closes out with ‘Roads to Nowhere’. The pulsing guitar being the engine propelling this song along. There’s a nice use of light and shade, loud and quiet to keep your ears happy. This is one song that you just need to surrender to. Let it wash over you, surrender your senses and let it reveal is multi-layered majesty.

With Leave It Undefined, Strangers In My House have created a instant favourite for me. The songs, whilst being immediate and easy to love, are carefully layered to reward repeat listens. I must also call out the vocals on this album. Remember the name Magdalena Radecka as I believe she will be spoken about in the same breath as Rachel Goswell, Miki Berenyi and Bilinda Butcher in years to come. Just a powerhouse of a performance in every song.

You can grab a copy of Leave It Undefined over on Strangers In My House Bandcamp page.

Follow Strangers In My House on social media here to find out about the CD release…

Photo Credits

Pics by Melchior Santos

Graphics by Luiza Niemczuk

Keeley – Seeing Everything

Dublin based KEELEY return with a new single ahead of their long-awaited debut album. It was this time last year I was discussing the Brave Warrior EP on these very pages. That was a collection of four songs dedicated to the memory of murdered German tourist Inga-Maria Hauser. Keeley Moss, singer, guitarist and songwriter for the band, has been publishing ‘The Keeley Chronicles’ blog, dedicated to this harrowing and mystifying case for over five years now and it has informed all her songwriting.

This opening salvo from the album continues that narrative. Moss has this to say on the single.

“‘Seeing Everything’ is an immersive journey in every sense. Sonically and lyrically it’s a melancholy maze, a hazy mirage where ghosts of the past are gathered. With its tangled jungle of chiming guitars mirroring the inextricable complexities of Inga’s story, ‘Seeing Everything’ probes the dark heart of this unique and harrowing unsolved case with a visionary zeal.”

Given the dark and upsetting subject matter ‘Seeing Everything’ is anything but. It’s an ebullient and life affirming slice of dreampop. I’m particularly taken by the guitar textures. The chiming lead motif, the fuzzy rhythm, the twelve-string jangle all blur into an atmospheric whirl.

The video is a labour of love production featuring authentic footage from 1988, the year the journey in the song took place. Edited by Moss herself it adds an emotional gut punch which caught me unawares. You can check out the video here.

‘Seeing Everything’ is out now on all the usual streaming outlets including Bandcamp. You can also preorder the album, Floating Above Everything Else, released via Dimple Discs on June 30.

Follow KEELEY on social media here….

The Know – EP2

Almost three years to the day since husband-and-wife duo The Know, released their sparkling debut they’re back with the aptly titled EP2. I was bowled over by wearetheknow upon its release. It’s blend of that shoegaze aesthetic with the Phil Spector wall of sound production made it pure ear candy.

I asked one half of The Know, Jennifer Farmer Knowles, to give us a flavour of what to expect with EP2.

“EP2 is lyrically full of relatable snapshots of love, loss, isolation, uncertainty, sadness and connection. Completed during the pandemic and in a time of intense isolation, the EP was produced by us both and mostly recorded in our home studio in a short span of time.”

The EP opens on the gentle and lulling ‘NCJC’. Farmer Knowles angelic voice against some spacious synth pads provide an atmospheric and soothing welcome. There’s something other worldly about the production of this track, with electronica bleeping and recorded phone voice eerily drifting in and out of the mix.

The peace is shattered by the boisterous intro to the sprawling epic that is ‘Used to Be’. A song dealing with the pressure placed on everyone’s relationships during lockdown. The production is big to match the engaging lyrical content on display. The vocals this time more powerful, more direct. Most certainly to be a foil for the bombastic guitars and percussion. I can’t get enough of this song, it’s emotional core hits home every listen.

The track neatly bookends with the intro to ‘Me’. This song also dealing with love in lockdown but this time a romance blossoms. Often the bass is just seen as an instrument that keeps time with the drums. Here its celebrated, the bass drives the whole song. The dreamy soundscape is built on its melodic foundation.

We follow this with the aptly named ‘You’ a song of love lost and regret. This one has a widescreen appeal that I’m sure will endear it to many TV producers. I can hear this soundtracking many a show in the future. The piano motif over the chorus is bright and so catchy. It adds the emotional musical hook that really lifts the vocal delivery.

The EP closes with ‘Just Say It’. This track sounds like an amped up Stars number. Again, the production is lush and detailed. So much to entertain your ear this will stand many repeated listens. At its core is the heartfelt vocal performance from Farmer Knowles. Just listen to how she lets loose when singing “Just fucking say it. I’d rather hear it and know you’re wrong”. What a great song to finish this listening experience.

With EP2 The Know have once again cemented their place as creators of detailed, nuanced and catchy dream pop. The lyrical content is just so damn relatable and when paired with the extraordinary production that Daniel Knowles is renowned for, you have something truly unique and special.

EP2 is out now on pink vinyl from The Know website or from their Bandcamp. The vinyl is limited top 143 copies only so if you want a copy, I’d recommend being quick.

You can follow The Know on social media here…

The Men – New York City

The Men have been creating riotous proto punk for over 15 years now. They return with their ninth album and first for Fuzz Club Records. New York City channels the energy and raw power of The Stooges and MC5 morphing into the hard hitting, scuzzy rock ‘n’ roll you would expect from this band.

The band took these songs into the studio and recorded each cut live to tape to capture the raw energy of the performances. Here’s how they describe the album.

“New York City’ is a record that doesn’t stop moving for a second, packed full of the kind of energy you can only really capture in a live setting. These songs became the blood of the band as the band could only exist for and of these songs. There was no place else to hang their hats. Without making this record, the group would not exist, so there really wasn’t another option. NYC is fluid. It means a lot of different things to all kinds of people. We present the record in that spirit.”

We come barrelling out the gate with the breathless ‘Hard Livin’’. If ever a song sounded like it should be performed on stage in CBGBs then this is it!! Guitars at eleven, vocals maxing out the meter and drums sound massive! This is a statement of intent!

We segue neatly into ‘Peace of Mind’ without missing a beat. Whilst this track rocks as hard as the last song the chorus here has an undeniable hook that you can’t help but nod along to.

‘Echo’ is a darker sound, Guitar’s chug along but it isn’t until the false stop mid song that our first soaring solo erupts from the speakers. There’s an authentic sixties garage rock approach to this song that tickles this Nuggets loving author.

‘God Bless The USA’ seems to tackle the myriad issues that country faces. “There’s a fire burning in the USA” sings Nick Chiericozzi. The band rattle along at a blistering pace The Ramones would be hard pressed to maintain.  

After that intro to the album the pace drops on the doomy ‘Eye’. The opening lyric sounds like its being screamed from Chiericozzi’s boots. Drums slow and steady guide us through the dirty back alleys of the city at night. Things take a psychedelic turn in the chorus with a washed-out warbling effect being added to the vocals. And the guitar solo!! Wow! This is my album stand out track!

“Eternal Recurrence” next whilst maintain the edgy guitars ventures into power pop with its luscious backing vocals and a melodic vocal delivery which is committed to throughout the song.  This band aren’t just a one trick pony and aren’t afraid to flex their creative muscles.

The Sabbath like intro to ‘Round the Corner’ morphs into a stomping sludge fest. Filling every corner with classic rock moments it’s a welcome respite from the pace of this album.

It’s only momentary though as we move back to full speed for ‘Through the Night’. It has this weird kinda spoken word part that really threw me at first but repeated listens have shown me that, man, it works.

‘Anyway I Found You’ has all the swagger of a Heartbreakers number. It’s alt country rock vibe amplified by the slide guitar and dual vocals. This is a neat reminder of this bands range.

The album concludes with the expansive ‘River Flows’. This is probably the most organic track on the album. Swampy groove driven guitars, the rawest of vocal deliveries and a rhythm section nailed to the beat make this a joy to experience. A sure footed close to a great album.

New York City is a great, balls to the wall, rock ‘n’ roll album. It was an inspired move to capture these songs live in one take. You can tell this band is at their best in this setting. It’s testament to their years of experience that it comes off so natural.

New York City is available on white vinyl now from the amazing Fuzz Club Records and over on Bandcamp.

You can follow The Men on social media here…

Superdrone – Stereoized

It’s two years since the fifth album from Southampton based noise makers Superdrone. This three-piece thrilled us with their widescreen soundscapes and cinematic approach to songwriting. Moving into album six the band have taken the brave decision to release a 22-track double album. I asked the band about this decision and what we should expect from the album.

“This album has taken 18 months to record and these 22 songs were taken from over 100 demo ideas to ensure that the quality was rhodium standard. The sound design is in surround full HD audio. Headphones on. Hit play and drift away.”

Sounds right up my street, lets dive in.

We open with the title track. A psychedelic float in outer space. Digitized vocals emerge through a digital soundscape. We ain’t in Kansas anymore. It’s clear that Superdrone are eschewing their shoegaze roots and heading into pastures new.

‘Augmented Strings’ next has a touch of the Lemon Jelly about it. I could hear this playing at Café Del Mar at sunset. The chilled break beat carries the washed-out synth and syrupy sweet guitar along on a gentle wave.

With a neat bit of word play we’re into ‘Glass of Heart’. Fans of Beachy Head will love this track. Taking a straight up pop track and warping the strings and vocals adding this eerie, smoky texture to the whole song. It maintains that chillout vibe we enjoyed on the previous track.

The drums are the star on ‘Renegade’ next. This one reminds me of Seal or Neneh Cherry with its unusual time signature and eighties vibe. The soaring chorus with its warbling synths is just lush and you look forward to it each time.

We take the pace down on ‘Under the Dark Sky’. This is a grand track with all the feels. It takes the stadium sized power of Elbow and paints a psychedelic canvas with it. It’s spellbinding stuff.

We move into EDM next with ‘Onenia’. Programmed beats and vocoder vocals lead us through this pulsing and at times operatic ballad.  The band have truly developed their pop sensibilities and really ran with it. As we progress through the album you can hear just how much effort has gone into this evolution, reinvention even of who Superdrone are.

More word-play next with ‘Incomplete Sympathy’ now dabbling in that trip hop sound that Bristol made so famous. I’m sure I can hear a Massive Attack sample in here which would make sense. If you’re a fan of Lamb or Portishead then you will love this one.

It’s back to psychedelic pop next with the lovely little song parcel that is ‘Loneliness’. I love the loose feel this one has. It just wraps you up in a sonic hug. Without a doubt my album highlight.

‘Too Far’ returns to trip hop and is reminiscent of a lost track by Lamb. Vocals on this one are beautiful. A lilting female voice, cuts through the psychedelic swirl elevating this to another level.

‘Home’ on the other hand is like something from the Blade Runner soundtrack. Bold and futuristic it’s a striking example of how this band have moved on. Digital bleeps and synth pads wash over the listener while the vocoder does its thing. Really enjoyed this track!

That old movie vibe is present in ‘Gnossienne No1’ next. A cover of the famous Erik Satie composition it’s warped and faded, as if played on an old gramophone. Piano is augmented synth and xylophone. It’s a most eerie and unusual intermission.

The band returns on ‘Plain Sight’. Pounding drums and chugging guitars drive this poppy wee number. There’s a Viva La Vida melody at play that adds an element of grandeur here. Tempered though by the psychedelic swirl of the vocals. This is a band not afraid to look to the Top 40 for influence.

‘Into the Ether’ emerges as if from a slumber. The dreamlike ambience it creates is magical. It sparkles through the speakers. Hushed vocals and chiming xylophone play over triggered samples and a steady rhythm section. Most soothing.

‘Overtonia’ channels the Chemical Bros and Kula Shaker into a tantric cyber jam. It’s a slow burner and blossoms over its run time before folding in on itself for the chilled outro.

‘California’ kicks off like a Luther Vandross number from the eighties. It’s smooth pop jazz sounds all the way until the chorus vocoder vocals reminds us who we’re listening to.

‘Bathed in Light’ is aptly named. It’s super bright tones and shimmering sounds really do evoke that title.

‘Clear Castles in the Sky’ samples a Radiohead riff from Kid A and builds a psychedelic maelstrom around it. There are these really lovely discordant moments that tickle my ear no end. I love how they just seem to fit under the pop of the songs lead melody.

That motif continues into the moody ballad that is ‘All You Need’. In one of this album’s sparser arrangements, sparse being a relative term here, the off-kilter moments are really impactful.

‘Discovery’ lifts us from our reverie with another sonic hug. The warm and uplifting vocals for me are only surpassed by the all too short instrumental break. Crackin track.

‘In the Fire’ feels like a continuation of ‘Discovery’. Like an aperitif as we head for the end of this album. The measured and patient drums play a blinder here. Picking out their own way through the song keeping us on our toes.

‘Someday’ brings together all the musical themes of the album into a dynamic explosion of sound. Again, wait until you here the drum solos before the big outro section. Exceptional stuff.

The album comes to a close with the suitably monikered ‘26’. Twenty-six minutes of ambient sounds and musical interludes is a bold choice as a closing number. It really is a soothing listen and rounds things off in a most interesting way.

The band promised that this would be something totally different. Those who listened to their last album and this would be surprised to hear they were the same band. A double album is a big ask for a listener and largely Superdrone have pulled it off with Stereoized. This set of songs has set them off on a new trajectory. Gone is the post rock / shoegaze sound replaced with an electronic trip pop groove. There’s a new more sedate EDM been created here and I’m really excited to hear where this takes Superdrone next.

Stereoized is out now over on Bandcamp.

You can follow Superdrone on social media here…

Sun Shines Cold – Echoes of a Former Life

Scotland has a strong connection to that almost gothic, darker sound that bands like Cocteau Twins and the Mary Chain pioneered. Carrying on that tradition are a duo from the Scottish Borders south of Edinburgh. Sun Shines Cold fuse elements of post-rock, shoegaze, post-punk, psyche and 80’s goth. Multi instrumentalists Brian Jordan and Colan Miles influences include Slowdive, The Cure, Ride, Mogwai, Spacemen 3, Spiritualized, and Interpol. With that list of big hitters I was keen to find out about their debut album Echoes of a Former Life. Miles had this to say.

“Echoes of a former life is an album about past and present situations, relationships, places, lifestyles and ultimately with the final track growing older and watching people you care about fade. Our aim was to create an emotive but uplifting sound but with a dark edge that hopefully resonates with our listeners. The album cover is a disused railway tunnel in our home town that we hung about in as youths.”

Sounds like we may need torches as we’re heading somewhere dark.

The album opens on the instrumental “Before”. Stark and subdued drums emerge from the fog of droning feedback. A glacial guitar riff picks out the gaps and fills them with eerie swells and chimes. The band setting up their sonic palette giving us a flavour of what’s to come.

“Tried So Hard” really nails that late 80’s gothic sound. It’s sedate pace leaving lots of cavernous space for this song to grow in. Whilst there’s no denying the sombre tone it never feels morose or self-indulgent. The bass carves a path right through the track which the synths and guitars weave around. This provides a neat foil to the lighter tones on the next song.

‘Floods’ opens in the higher register with chiming guitar leading us into the song. Pause here to pay attention to the drums. It’s so refreshing to hear a drummer really explore their kit to add something unique to a track. For me this song is all about the chorus. It flips this song on its head and is both uplifting and optimistic making it my album stand out track.

Things get sparse on ‘Thoughts’. Sparse but still powerful and gripping. This song is a masterclass in how to wrestle the maximum amount of emotion out of the fewest notes and chords. Drums, again, on point making themselves the driver and ensuring this song has clear direction and purpose. It’s a great track and rounds our Side A nicely.

Over on the flipside things kick off with the single from February this year ‘There Came A Rain’. The haunting vocals are only made more eerie by the ghostly guitars and synths. The lyrics speak of a life ending but I think its more about the end of one part of your life. One that’s been particularly difficult. “Pull me down no more breath. Face the end and rise again”. That hidden optimism really endears this album to me even more.

‘Falling’ also maintains that optimism in the face of a failed relationship. Just listen to the ebb and flow of the chorus, the chiming guitars in the outro. Sun Shines Cold really utilise dynamics to the fullest to take you on a journey through these songs. Back on the chorus, the words seem to fall out the speakers like a waterfall. The descending chords are really impactful.

The opening to ‘Gone’ really ups that ghostly vibe. The guitar chords actually sound haunted. The album reaches its darkest moment here. The song conjures images in your mind of a forest at midnight and its many terrors hidden in the shadows. No respite is offered to us. The song leaves us alone in the twilight searching for the moon. This is so affecting here as its stands alone on the album as punctuation point, a pause before our final song.

‘Sundowning’ is nothing short of epic. An instrumental that leans into the post rock genre to deliver a crescendo that brings us home. This is going to sound massive when performed live. The guitars build in intensity and layer up with the bass and drums to provide an explosive ending that deserves to be heard at maximum volume! Turn it up!

In Echoes of a Former Life Sun Shines Cold have created a work of gothic grandeur, a dark companion to take you to places you’re too scared to go alone. However. Throughout the album, in amongst the sombre tones there’s a real underlying optimistic thread. Even though the subject matter can be dark or emotional, in each song there’s a wee spark of hope. That’s the strength of Sun Shines Cold and the reason this album is going to find them so many more fans.

Echoes of a Former Life is available to pre-order now on limited edition vinyl and digital from the Sun Shines Cold Bandcamp page.

You can follow Sun Shines Cold on social media here…