A lot has happened in the time since Pale Waves released their first album. Despite the various trials and tribulations, one of which including a tour bus crash, the Manchester indie-rockers have proven that nothing can get in the way of creating absolute magic. Consisting of 11 tracks, Who Am I? taps into the beloved, nostalgic sounds of the 2000s, and going through each song helped me feel more like the ideal, cool older sister trope commonly found in movies of that era (Kat Stratford, anybody?).
In comparison to 2018’s My Mind Makes Noises, their sophomore album presents a newfound edge that helps listeners unearth a more authentic version of Pale Waves. Now, don’t get me wrong; I absolutely adored their debut record, but it only scratched the surface of what they have to offer. That being said, it’s undeniable that they have begun to grow more into their own, unique sound, and my god, it is completely game-changing.
I honestly wasn’t expecting this sort of switch-up at all. From the moment they released “Change,” however, I knew we were about to witness a brand new, monumental chapter in their career unfold. With a catchy track and a visually stunning music video to match, it makes perfect sense why this is the way Pale Waves decided to kick off this new era.
Who Am I?’s dizzyingly romantic second single, “She’s My Religion,” brings forth some much-needed LGBTQ+ representation, and it sure as hell doesn’t stop there. “Tomorrow” beckons those who are struggling with their sexualities to take a deep breath and remember, as the lyrics emphasize, you cannot choose who you fall in love with. Not only that, but it also encourages fans who are grappling with their mental health to stick around and see that the world won’t always have you feeling trapped. It’s a truly gorgeous song that wields an impactful message we all need to be reminded of every once in a while.
Ben, I know that you love a boy
Sexuality isn’t a choice
Don’t let anyone say it’s wrong
Won’t you just keep hanging on?
And Kelsi, I know life drags you down
Growing up in a small town
Always the odd one in the crowd
You know I’ll never count you out
This sort of vulnerability seen throughout the record is perhaps one of its most striking features. There’s been a distinct progression in songwriting that opens up more personal discussions, ranging from the intimacy of sex and queer romance (“Wish U Were Here”) to the ever-looming uncertainty that comes with reaching a mental and emotional low (“Who Am I?”). Seeing this newfangled sense of self from lead singer Heather Baron-Gracie, as well as the unapologetic comfortability that has come along with it, is incredibly refreshing. It introduces something notably special into their music, and the novel openness and sincerity found throughout this record have put them on track towards becoming a force to be reckoned with.
In short, Who Am I? is a wildly impressive sophomore album. Honest and bold, this record uncovers a new side of Pale Waves that marks a significant turning point for the band. Every track offers a different story that listeners can relate to and appreciate, and they all form a wonderfully cohesive collection of songs without sounding same-y or repetitive. This could very well become a defining record for Pale Waves, and I’m eager to see how well it treats them.
Black Country, New Road’s debut album For the First Time has been named Rough Trade’s album of the month for February. It’s a tremendous honor for a first album, and it’s well-deserved. The young band have already achieved more in their debut than most groups do over the course of their entire existence. The seven members have forged a sound that defies categorization. There is no genre that fits Black Country, New Road, a lucky thing indeed, because it has forced them to create their own.
For the First Time is a music nerd’s delight, a veritable 7th heaven of listening pleasures. It’s the kind of album that you listen to ten times all the way through on the first day of having it in your possession. You’ll want to unpack the dense, layered sounds, to figure out exactly what’s being said in each lyric, to identify every instrument and every influence.
Each one of the six tracks on the album is stellar, but Sunglasses is my favorite, segueing between mellow rhythms and full-out punk screaming, then (somehow) sliding smoothly into emotional descriptions of the irritations and fetters of relationships and life within a family, and through it all the meditation, gripped like a life-line: “I am invincible in these sunglasses…” It inspires an odd mixture of elation and chills, and the need to share it with someone else immediately. In other words, it’s on its way to being a classic.
Black Country, New Road are an orchestra for the future, “the new classic”(al) for spaceships. On more than one level, it’s something we all need to listen to; it’s something we all need to hear.
You can find Black Country, New Road on Instagram @blackcountrynewroad, on Spotify and on Bandcamp.
Yeah okay, I did plan on just doing a review of Haggis’ latest solo album Brightly Coloured Creatures but truth is, I couldn’t with a healthy conscience ignore the other work that he’s strived to make. Now I’ve written a review of his solo album Circadian Circus which if you missed you should definitely check that out, but I think (especially right now) with the state of the world and how disproportionately it’s affected the livelihoods of musicians, I think it’s only right to share with you even more of Haggis’ work, give him the rightly deserved streams he deserves. So to focus on Sunship Balloon’s Everywhen (his 2020 album with Tord Øverland Knudsen) and of course his very recent follow up to his 2017 solo album, here’s why we love Dan Haggis.
Obviously, anyone who’s anyone has heard of The Wombats, and if you’re someone with taste you’ll know the absolute passion that goes into making those albums and how brilliant they are, but when it comes to making music outside of that well-established name, Dan gets even more of a chance to show off his skills. Whether you’re falling in love with his solo work for something painfully relatable to, or getting an escape through the space journey of Sunship Balloon, there is absolutely everything to fall in love with.
With 2020’s Everywhen, Haggis and Knudsen created an album full of futuristic sounds coincided with analogue 80s synths, all which whisk you away into an alternate reality to ponder life’s most curious questions. When I first listened to Everywhen I immediately felt some sort of instrumental connection to like likes of The 1975, but even more so to the legendary Brian Eno, the ambient instrumental tracks especially that just change your perspective of the world, sounding like they could have been taken straight off one of David Bowie’s Berlin trilogy records or an album like Eno and Robert Fripp’s No Pussyfooting. It just makes for such a surreal listening experience (a crime that it’s not available on vinyl really) and you can just really hear the fun that went into making this record.
The entire album is perfect, there are so many amazing tracks to choose, from the electronic rock blaster that is Interstellar Ride, 1224 Fantasia which just desires to be played on a show like Top Of The Pops back in 1985, to the more experimental Eno inspired tracks such as title track Everywhen and the albums closer Flat Earther’s that really does sound like it belongs with the likes of Neuköln on Bowie’s Heroes. The energetic anthem A4 Life is superb though, it’s here where you can really hear some of those familiar Wombats and even some of Knudsen’s other band Imitating Aeroplanes vibes (I mean why wouldn’t you), but all the same completely turned on their heads to create a sound that’s so presently fresh but heartwarmingly nostalgic.
Glossing over Sunship Balloon and now moving to Brightly Coloured Creatures, after working on Everywhen, Dan The Man’s third solo outing definitely takes some of those 80’s sounds and finds a wonderful home within his new music. Circadian Circus was a brilliant album, but Brightly Coloured Creatures is completely its successor. Everything that was brilliant about the 2017 venture has been put on steroids and increased tenfold. The songwriting, melodies and production have all stepped up and each track is uniquely warm. Thematically it does continue a lot of similar themes that of Circadian Circus, but perhaps a little more universal than the depth into Haggis’ soul that we were exposed to with the last album.
Muscle Memory kicks off the album in such a flawless way, being ever so reminiscent of his previous release, but with bigger everything. Genuinely feels like it’s the opening track to a film, it gives meaning to whatever you could be doing when listening to it, making a cuppa? That cuppa’s DEEP now. Young Lovers the albums second track and first single is where you can really hear how much musical progression Haggis has developed since 2017, sounding more like the kind of track you’d hear off Everywhen but because of that oh so personal touch Haggis effortlessly shines over his lyrics, you know exactly where this track truly belongs.
This album, like its brother, is absolutely perfect and every track is a real gem. From blissful melancholy meanders like Obsolete and Earthmover, which are such beautifully constructed tracks, and the line “Can we just go back and reset it all, Now we’re obsolete” is just *chef kiss*, who hasn’t felt like that at some point? And especially after the year we’ve just been through (yeah happy anniversary to that by the way) it’s such a poignant practice that Haggis just nails every time. It sounds like something you’d find on a Beach House record and is absolutely gorgeous, not to mention the breakdown in Obsolete, which is fantastic. Shaping this woeful helplessness into offset anger mixed with motivation, drenching the line “Swallow the pill” in reverb the way some use medication to put a damper on depression, man Haggis you absolute genius.
See You In Hell is such a tasty track, coming out of nowhere as this almost doo-wop inspired song, albeit with a lot of other influences clearly thrown in the mix, it’s a faster, more energetic and textured sound, evoking vibes of Richard Hawley‘s work and Arctic Monkey’s Suck It And See album. Just magnificent.
Another one of my personal favourites, Unravelling combines so much sonic identity it’s hard to pin it down, but I mean it sounds like Dan The Man so what more could you want? The combined acoustic and spacey lead guitar, and as always Haggis’ vocals are simply a delight here. Lyrically the tracks about DNA, which with the “unravelling” hook makes a lot of sense, but I think the substance behind that goes way beyond where your mind initially registers with it. I think there have been times where we’ve all felt like our very being is “unravelling”, stuck in the fragmentation of crisis and rebirth, along with the prospect of the unknown, and I think this song defines those feelings. I mean it’s either that or it’s a song about DNA but take your pick.
Brightly Coloured Creatures is already one of my favourite records of the year, and we’re only in February. That’s not me being ignorant in the face of what an entire year’s worth of music might bring to my attention, but a statement that Dan Haggis is one of the brightest musicians of our time and I think that goes without saying. Tracks like Memory Lane, Let Me Down and Obsolete are just streamlined perfection and you absolutely must go and listen to the whole album as soon as you can.
I’ll leave you with PeterPan, a track off Dan’s first solo album which is equally brilliant as both the albums we’ve been over today. Enjoy its festive vibe and take aboard the backlog of music you’ve now got to bathe in. For fan’s of Dan The Man, the music’s going nowhere, and there’s plenty to go around.
Teleman is one of the coolest bands I’ve discovered in a very long time, there’s something just so intrinsically interesting about them. Formed back in 2011 after the disbanding of the band Pete and the Pirates, where bandmates Thomas and Johnny Sanders, Peter Cattermoul and new drummer Hiro Amamiya combined forces to become one of the most innovative artists of our time.
There’s a quality to Teleman that’s so ’70s and so modern at the same time that’s just irresistible, that being said if you’re a fan of bands such as Arcade Fire, Metronomy and New Order then Teleman should be the next band on your list of artists who’ll rearrange your perspective on music. Upon releasing 2014’s Breakfast, the band have toured with the likes of Suede, Kaiser Chiefs as well as Belle and Sebastian just to name a few.
With Cristina, the band’s debut single, you get a vibe for who Teleman are. That mix of synth and indie guitar carrying this hefty song through your ears, tied together by the diverse and tender sounding vocals of Thomas Sanders. Indie pop is such a broad genre that normally gets buttered up, but with Teleman there’s a mix of rawer energy within their music that enforces such a focused identity that’s so particularly them.
Meanwhile, they’ve certainly figured out who they are and where to go next, take their latest album Family Of Aliens, and according to the band was a more involved writing process between them, which clearly worked for the best because Family Of Aliens is a brilliant album and one of my highlights of 2018, with some of their strongest work to date. The track Cactus brings that characteristic charm Teleman, edging on the airwaves of alluring yet hypnotic. It’s a development of sound that’s clear when you hear their albums back to back, but it’s superbly familiar.
Going back one album to Brilliant Sanity, the opening track Düsseldorf with its slick performance races to pump adrenaline throughout your body. There’s a time and a place for “ah just play harder, turn the amps up” for showing the power of a performance, but Teleman manages to know exactly how to level their sound. The guitars aren’t in your face, they’re not Boss Metal Zone’d, instead they’re driven just enough to add the right amount of bite and attitude, and what this means is the song hypes you up and you feel the weight of it hit you, despite it being a calmer soundscape. It’s a power that’s truly unique and not many artists quite figure it out so it makes for such an impactful listening experience.
Skeleton Dance from the band’s debut album starts with such an exhilarating intro, those loose and jangly guitars that almost spit out at you, the saturation of that riff on the threshold against the velvety vocals that carry the song is just so tranquillizing. And then with the combination of thick synths, drum machines and a live kit, just swirls around your brain in such a manner you do disconnect from the world for three and a half minutes.
Between The Rain is one of the more ’70s sounding tracks, but mastered to your modern-day specs. The piano-centric song complimented by the twangy driven guitar solo emoting the sounds you’d hear on an early Bowie record like Hunky Dory. It’s also got one of my favourite lines being;
“Good times always end if you sing too soon Oh, how I love the silence when I’m with you”
Something about that simplicity and realism along with the bouncy vibe of the track just matches so well.
So with all that in mind… What are you still doing here? You’ve heard what Teleman can do, and you’ve barely scratched the surface. Revitalise that pure indie-pop sensation of the early 2010s and process the power that lies ahead with whatever Teleman dare to bring out next.
OK Human, the brand new album by LA rockers Weezer, has shaken up everything the band has put out in the last half-decade alone. Jumping ship from genre to genre, Weezer are no strangers to releasing heaps of fresh music year after year, perhaps the sad reality of how hard it is to make a living being a musician, or perhaps because they’re just that inspired, which after being a band for almost 3 decades now (God really? Time flies huh) is pretty impressive, like all the material they’ve put out or not, it can’t be easy, but that being said must be very rewarding.
After the 2019 announcement of the album Van Weezer, inspired by the likes of hard and glam rock icons such as the late Eddie Van Halen, which was due out in 2020 and is now due to that thing that’s kinda buggered up the world, due out late spring this year, the band dropped a surprise album at the end of January that is the complete opposite of what Van Weezer is said to offer us. With a centre on less guitars and more orchestral sounds. So what can you expect from an album like this? Well that sharp modern pop production that was all over the likes of the black and white albums, but that baroque rock/orchestral pop centre creates something so naturalistic that I think we all kind of needed at a time like this.
Although the writing sessions for what became this album started as early as 2017, the themes of isolation are very apparent and it’s classical influences really enforce that. After the year of the pandemic, and to be quite frank everything kinda shitty the world has endured over the last few years, this drawn back approach is rather magnificent. I can only really compare the sounds of this album to vague Beatles-esk noise or something like Panic! At The Disco’s Pretty. Odd. But even that isn’t quite right. This definitely sounds like a Weezer album and after the cold water shock of hearing track one All My Favourite Songs, it all sounds perfectly natural for the band so it’s a strange sensation but does make sense.
The album has a really good sense of momentum, tracks flow and transition well into each other. The transition between Aloo Gobi into Grapes of Wrath is ridiculously sharp and tasty. I think after the somewhat rocky consistency of Weezer through the past few years, being a bit wild with sounds is just their thing now, and whilst I was really digging the vibe of singles teased from Van Weezer, OK Human’s big orchestral cavern is brilliant all the same. As a more casual fan of Weezer, I would easily say this is actually some of their best work, whether you’re a fan of the sounds of the Blue album, Pinkerton or even their more recent Black album, I think you’ll easily enjoy what this album has to offer. There really is something for everyone here, without pandering to different genres as it is all tied up very nicely within its theme.
There is certainly key themes of alienation and a highlight on the modernity of humanity, be it the obsession of staring at our Screens or digitalised statistics in Numbers, whilst it can be a tad on the nose, I think generally along with the musical concept of the album sounding like a Disney movie’s soundtrack, and especially during a time that is our very uncertain present, it works well for what it is, and might even be looked back on and praised for it’s early (if we can even call it early at this point) warning signs of the surge of technology and reliability upon it. I think having 2 albums within the span of a few months is one thing to keep your fans happy, but to have two completely contrasting sounding albums such as OK Human and Van Weezer in the pipeline is a bold move but somehow I think completely works and really there’s no better time for it. I just feel sorry for the poor blighter who has to figure out their next setlist…
Top tracks are; Grape Of Wrath, Numbers and Bird With A Broken Wing. But again I’d stress to hear the whole album all the way through to get the most visceral experience of OK Human.
If you haven’t already been introduced to the playful, 80s-inspired music of French duo VIDEOCLUB, let this be your guide. Adèle Castillon and Matthieu Reynaud are undeniably one of the coolest power couples out there, and after officially releasing music since 2018, their highly-anticipated debut album Euphories was gifted to the world on 29 January.
Featuring pre-released tracks from over the past few years along with plenty of brand new additions, Euphories serves as the perfect introduction to the young musicians. Throughout the album, you’ll discover wondrous, lively energy that invites you to set your responsibilities aside, just for a moment, and let yourself have some well-deserved fun.
There’s something incredibly enchanting about this record. I have been a fan of VIDEOCLUB for quite some time now, so hearing the singles I’ve been playing on repeat be finally compiled into a full-length album is something truly special. It was well worth the wait, too, because it’s undeniable that Adèle and Matthieu put their heart and soul into Euphories. Each song seamlessly leads into the next, creating an excitingly hypnotic record that once you start, you’ll want to stick around until the end.
The first song I had ever heard from VIDEOCLUB was “Amour Plastique,” which now has an impressive 58M views on YouTube. So, seeing that they kicked off their album with this track made me feel an immense amount of pride. It’s what thwarted them onto people’s radars, and because of everyone’s massive love and support for “Amour Plastique,” Adèle and Matthieu have been given a fantastic opportunity to continue sharing their talents with the world. They certainly have not dropped the ball as every release since then has been widely well-received. With these new songs hitting airwaves, I have no doubt in my mind that their fanbase will consistently grow more each and every day.
One of my absolute favourite new tracks is “Polaroïds.” I adore how they utilize the distinct sounds of a Polaroid camera within the beat; it adds a unique and clever touch that makes the song all the more charming. The lyrics, which reminisce on cherished memories, are really refreshing as well, and they can definitely be relatable in times like these. All of these elements combined create something that feels like pure bliss manifested within a single song (as well as a phenomenal addition to any sort of “Late Night Drives” playlist).
“SMS” is another song I am completely obsessed with. The beginning of the song sounds like an explosion of real, genuine happiness, and I can’t help but smile whenever it comes on. I’m a bit of a hopeless romantic, so when I read the translated lyrics (I’m still learning French, leave me be!), I was smiling like such an idiot. It represents love in a fun, wholesome light and emphasizes the excitement behind new love unfolding. Towards the end of the track, you can even hear the synth riffs from “En Nuit,” “Amour Plastique,” “Mai,” “Enfance 80,” “Roi,” and “What Are You So Afraid Of,” which wraps up their debut record flawlessly.
As a whole, I have fallen completely in love with Euphories. There’s a song that can match whatever mood you may be in—hear me out. In the mood to relax and shut out the world for a bit? “Trois Jours.” Need something to listen to while you’re out-and-about that’ll help you feel like the main character? “Suricate.” Don’t speak a word of French but you still want to sing along? Don’t worry, “What Are You So Afraid Of” and “Petit Monde” have got you covered with some English lyrics.
There’s truly something for everybody throughout this tracklist, and my joy goes far beyond anything words could express. Adèle and Matthieu have absolutely smashed it with Euphories, and I cannot wait to see what else they’ve got up their sleeves.
To keep up with VIDEOCLUB, follow them on Instagram and Twitter.
Most of Jessica Winter’s childhood was spent alone in a hospital, alienated from other children and the usual growing-up experiences. As a result, she delved inward, cultivating a fantastic imagination and a strong creative drive.
Her Bandcamp bio states her influences as, “80s, trap, indie, chanteuse and unadulterated pop…” Winter’s voice is gorgeous, high and flexible, full of a trained vocalist’s effortless power. It’s a pleasure to hear her sing, not just for the clear, keening tonality of her voice, but for the way she flexes up and down the octaves with apparent ease and imbues lyrics with as much drama as a thespian. Her voice is an instrument she’s spent a lot of time mastering.
Winter’s physical presence matches her music: she appears to be equal parts dark glamour and otherworldly, ethereal sprite. A cascade of inky black hair frames her pale, fey, pointed face and her icy blue eyes are trimmed with feathery lashes. She looks quizzical, alert, and whip-smart. There’s a little bit of Bowie about her, and a lot of originality.
Besides her burgeoning career as a solo artist, Winter is one half of the band PREGOBLIN, alongside partner Alex Sebley (a former member and occasional lyricist for the original band of South London troublemakers, Fat White Family.)
Her first album, “Sad Music,” was released in May of this year. It features five tracks, among them the sensational “Play,” and the title track, “Sad Music.” Winter’s lyrics are a tonic for a life spent in and out of a continuous serious of lockdowns and quarantines. Uplifting and reassuring with a solemn nod to the feelings inherent with coming of age in a society on the verge of a breakdown.
“I’m feeling famous/I’m feeling international,” Winter sings on “Play.” “I’ve got my money on my body/A miracle/I’m everything I ever needed growing up/I’m a fuckup/And I’m ok.”
It’s what all of us need to hear. And hopefully, someday, we’ll listen to it on the radio.
The long-awaited debut album Collapsed In Sunbeams by the indie icon Arlo Parks has finally arrived! And it’s definitely a contender for album of the year already. As a black bisexual woman in an already oversaturated music industry, it is so refreshing and rewarding to see the success that Arlo Parks has gained since her music debut in 2018, becoming a contemporary to the likes of Phoebe Bridgers and Clairo, but a superstar in her own right.
The album kicks off with an arpeggiated acoustic guitar and lofi ambient sounds underneath a poem by Parks, setting up the journey that by track 3 has already taken you all around town. Hurt puts the car into first gear, a great opener demonstrating those sounds we’ve become familiar with from singles like Green Eyes and Eugene. The use of sampled and chopped drums gives the track this slightly agitated feeling that goes in hand with the themes of Parks’ lyrics. Track 3 Too Good shakes up the vibes so soon with Motown inspiration through jazz and funk-infused guitar, really encapsulating sounds of the ’60s but wrapping it in layers of modern production. Arlo Parks already has smashed her sound out the ballpark, completely developing her ability to write and perform since her EP Super Sad Generation.
Hope sidesteps more towards that Jazzier inspired sound, really making me nostalgic for the iconic instrumentation of Amy Winehouse. It keeps up the pace and I think it’s here where it’s safe to say that Arlo’s control and flow of melodies are absolutely breathtaking. Each line she sings is just monumental, no line feels lacking or overfilled with words and syllables, she’s a natural storyteller. And every chorus she sings is an instant hit, I mean just in Hope the way she carries the lines “You’re not alone like you think you are / We all have scars, I know it’s hard / You’re not alone” just really pulls at the heartstrings. She’s open and honest and it makes for the best of her music.
Caroline and BlackDog, two tracks released in the buildup to the album take up your ears next. Caroline being one of the songs that carry the general DNA of this album, the production it’s laced with is a reoccurring sound within such a musically diverse album. Written about witnessing events unfold without context which is something we see on a daily basis (well, we usually would) where it does become something we don’t give too much attention to.
Black Dog is a more stripped back stylised song, Parks addressed the song saying “it’s supposed to make people who are struggling feel less isolated and start a conversation surrounding the prevalence of mental health issues in today’s world”. Especially after the toll that’s taken the people of the world over the last year alone, Black Dog becomes a statement about the obvious on how bitter the reality of depression is and how you can feel out of your depth whether you’re on the receiving end of the Black Dog or whether you’re observing someone who has that demon in their life.
“It’s so cruel what your mind can do for no reason / I take a jump off the fire escape to make the black dog go away At least I know that you are trying / But that’s what makes it terrifying“
Green Eyes is such a ridiculous song. It’s just perfect what can I say? (That’s rhetorical) Here Parks tells the story of a past relationship with a girl that ended too soon because of the stigma of same-sex relationships from their own parents. I think although there are specific topics all throughout this record, there are some messages within that are completely universal such as the chorus’ hook “Some of these folks wanna make you cry / But you gotta trust how you feel inside and shine” it’s painfully true and such an uplifting message to anybody who listens to this track.
Just Go is perhaps one of the more traditionally poppier songs here, bringing a bouncier bassline like something out of a Mark Ronson tune, but with classical production emitting sounds you’d find on an Adele song. Reflecting on the song Parks said, “I wanted a breakup song that said, simply, No grudges, but please leave my life”. The contradiction of the civil wording of a toxic ending to the upbeat song makes it the perfect tune to vibe to if you’re having a hard time letting go of something, even when it is the abundantly right thing to do.
For Violet, is one of the darker songs on this record, it’s gritty like a Radiohead song but tunefully soulful like the rest of Arlo’s work. Eugene and Bluish take the reigns next. Bluish is about a relationship that smothers you, talking about when needing space “I shouldn’t have to ask you twice” and “You held me so hard I went bluish“, really enforcing that claustrophobic feeling.
Eugene tells the story of falling in love with a straight girl in a relationship, and how that unconditional infatuation can burn you right to the core. Continuing a darker element that was so strong in For Violet but with a warmer tone exploring that vulnerability.
“Seein’ you with him burns, I feel it deep in my throat You put your hands in his shirt, you play him records I showed you Read him Sylvia Plath, I thought that that was our thing You know I like you like that / I hate that son of a bitch“
Porta 400 closes the album and brings more sampling back to the forefront, allowing the ending of this LP to be one that really does stick out but warmly wrap up the sound of Collapsed In Sunbeams. Porta 400 feels like after a series of unfortunate struggles, sitting on a hilltop watching the sun go down on an era of your life, breathing out and moving on. It’s the perfect credits to a film so somebody get onto making that. I think the chorus sums up the energy of the entire record; “Making rainbows out of something painful“, and in turn relieves whoever listens, helping them to find and make their own rainbows.
Collapsed In Sunbeams is a blissful journey that discusses life, the ups and downs, how you can be dealt a bad hand, but how your life is one of a kind. It opens it’s hand out to you with the simple message that is “you’re not alone“. At a time like 2021, there’s no better message to take on board.
Cary, North Carolina is home to just shy of 200,000 people, 6 of which happen to be part of up-and-coming boy band Weston Estate. Formed after a couple of jam sessions and a Google Hangouts call, these precocious teenagers quickly catapulted themselves onto 19 Spotify editorial playlists and into the spotlight.
The origin story behind how middle school pals Srikar Nanduri, Manas Panchavati, Ushno Chakraborty, Tanmay Joshi, Abhi Manhass, and Marco Gomez came together is well-documented from their numerous online interviews. Rather than examining how they came to be, it is far more worthwhile pondering what they will become. From the eclectic mix of offerings they have put out thus far, it is safe to say that their influence will extend far beyond the small-town neighbourhood from which their name was derived.
An article from The Daily Tar Heel reports that the very first beat that the band created was in the style of an Indian dance hall, though it is apparent that the track did not make the cut for their debut single. If you scroll to the bottom of their SoundCloud page, you will encounter “Time to Find”, a Rex Orange County-esque track just north of 3 minutes, delivered with scratchy coos and faltering falsettos, hallmarks of low production quality to which they themselves have attested.
However, by the time they released their breakout single “Cotton Candy”, any traces of weakness in production and vocal execution have been eradicated.
Over easy acoustic guitar strums and a midtempo trap beat, the boys limn a halcyon picture of “cotton candy chocolate streams” and “lemonade oceans at [their] feet” with caramelly vocals befitting an ode to the lover of their dreams. The imagery here is more developed than their first foray into the scene with “Time to Find”, pointing towards a steady maturation of the band’s songwriting approach. Five members had writing credits on “Cotton Candy”, and the remaining Manhass served as executive producer.
A necessary consequence of the band gaining traction was sonic evolution. The quaint, acoustic-driven small-town charm that their earliest listeners fell in love with could no longer be the sole fuel behind the well-oiled machine that Weston Estate was to become. The band’s response to this dilemma came in the form of “Hypnotized”, an alternative R&B and Lo-fi hybrid which further broadened the band’s horizons.
Assisted by Nick Nash and Cash Paradox, who are successful type beat producers in their own right, the band’s expansive Lo-fi aesthetic grew to embrace traditional R&B stylings in lyrical content and vocal production. If “Cotton Candy” was too saccharine for some, “Hypnotized” steps in readily as proof that the boys offer more than sweet talk, assuring complete devotion, “when you cry it’s bringing out your eyes, I’ve been so inclined to sympathise, swear to God you got me hypnotised”. In the background, ad-libs are executed in soaring falsetto with the ease of seasoned veterans.
The group’s latest single “Saturday Nights” is their most distinctively melancholic tune, which is apposite given the world’s current state. It is interesting to witness them return to their acoustic roots while subverting the joyful innocence that once characterised their music; there is no better growth marker than using old material to evoke an entirely new range of emotions.
Weston Estate has transcended the boundaries of both genre and North Carolina’s state lines. Only time will tell if they’ll become their hometown’s most extraordinary claim to fame, but from what we’ve heard so far, we can make a fairly good guess.
