An almost overwhelming amount of new music has appeared seemingly all at once. Here are some of the many highlights…
Shopfires – s/t
Cascading arpeggios and gently enveloping keys lie at the heart of Leicester based artist Neil Hill’s stirring DIY jangle project Shopfires. Out now via Subjangle, Shopfires’ self-titled debut album is a warmly comforting collection of beautifully crafted bedroom pop infused with the spirit of C86 and early Flying Nun. Softly sung melodies and searching lyrics are frequently given flight by Hill’s expansive arrangements, gifting the project scope far beyond its lo-fi origins.
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Goodbye Wudaokou – Ultraviolet Kiss
Uninhibited emotion, soaring indie-rock and intimate electronic flourishes collide on Ultraviolet Kiss, the latest single from Manchester based home recording project Goodbye Wudaokou. Brought to fruition by the boundlessly creative mind of Mathew Mills, debut album Mirror Skies will follow later this year.
Vanishing Muffins – Central
Jakarta based noise-pop collective Vanishing Muffins follow up last years warmly received debut single Taste Of Cherry with new EP Central, released via Brighton based label Shore Dive Records. Now expanded to a fourpiece, the group continue to channel the spirit of My Bloody Valentine and Jesus And Mary Chain into their vital, vibrant creations. Murmured melodies lurk beneath layers of searing guitars and fractured feedback, painting vivid pictures of lost love and the struggles of living paycheck to paycheck.
Amateur Cult – Eyes
Relentless rhythms and pummelling sax drive this storming new single by Amateur Cult fearlessly forward. Recording with a full band for the first time, Edinburgh based artist Alastair Chivers has concocted a heady Krautrock inspired brew that is both dangerously intoxicating and highly addictive. Building on the success of last years debut album The Mirrored Pattern, Chivers’ expanded Amateur Cult are a propulsive, powerful ensemble that demand your immediate attention.
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