I have been regularly singing the praises of Now ever since I was handed a tape of Will Smith and Oli Lipton’s marvellous Saturday’s Child album earlier this year. Recent live shows have seen the band showcasing fresh material with new bassist Hannah Forrester, and our collective Summers can now be lifted with the release of And Blue Space Is Burning Noon, their first album to be pressed to vinyl, courtesy of Sloth Mate Productions.
From the off it’s clear that Now have gone through the gears for this release. The production is tighter than ever before whilst keeping the raw energy of previous releases fully intact. Opener Wind Was builds slowly, with guitars and drums rising in unison, locking into a groove with the help of some seriously fluid bass work. After a tension building first few minutes it bursts into a beautifully melodic coda, which sets the scene for all that is to follow across the next forty or so minutes.
Stand out moments are plentiful as wave upon wave of beatific guitars dance amongst what has to be one of the tightest rhythm sections the Bay Area has to offer. Roses After H.D.’s soaring melody and retro keys dazzle with psychedelic wonder, Loose Strand showcases Will’s lyrics and vocals at their purest and most joyful, whilst the closing title track takes us on an unexpected but enthralling trip into the kosmische. Both lyrically and musically the overarching theme of this album seems to be one of reaching out beyond the everyday, in search of the magic we so often neglect.
Listening to Now is like hearing every song you’ve ever loved all at once, for the very first time. This is the most immediate album I have heard in a long time and its soaring psychedelic pop is an absolute thrill from start to finish. It’s the kind of music that enhances every emotion and makes just about anything seem possible, and we all need a little bit of that at the moment right?
Available now via Sloth Mate Productions.
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UK orders via World Of Echo: https://worldofechomusic.com/collections/new-releases/products/now-and-blue-space-is-burning-noon?_pos=1&_sid=95324a14a&_ss=r
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