LISTEN/WATCH: The Acid, The Night VI, Labyrinth Ear

*Originally published for The Line of Best Fit (17/2/14 - 20/2/14)

The Acid - "Basic Instinct"

The one that nearly got away: this breathtaking video for “Basic Instinct” is an audio-visual triumph, and a statement piece of art from the get-go by burgeoning three-piece, The Acid.

Comprised of Australia-via-LA producer/artist Ry X, grammy-nominated British DJ and producer Adam Freeland and Californian native producer/composer Steve Nalepa, the band came together quietly in early 2013 with the simple aim of making music together. What has emerged is something so spectacular, so untimely, and so down-right intriguing that their genesis is more than a blessing.

“Basic Instinct” – the first we've heard from the band – refuses to be categorised with its wiry acoustics, scuzzy talkbox vocals and house music sentiments. Add to the mix the dystopian-inspired visuals, featuring surrealist, uniformed performers (from notable dance/art group WIFE) jumping slow-mo amongst mountains and lakes, and you've got something all together the more mystifying.

“Coming up for air/coming up for air, air” Ry stutters intimately into your ear, as stunning visual close-ups on the textures of the characters’ creased costumes and mopped hair become at once comforting and discomforting. Dotty synth claps and lyrical repetition flirts with something more dance-lead, if only to be snatched back down to earth by multi-layered acoustics and perturbing oohs. The song isn’t a million miles away from the eclectic and syncopated sounds of latter-day Radiohead – and yet, nothing really like it at all. 

The Acid play their first live show at Chat’s Palace, London on 31 March. Their debut self-titled four-track EP is released on 14 April via Infectious Music.

The Night VI - "Thinkin Bout You" (Frank Ocean cover)

After last year’s elegant debut, “Thinking Of You”, London-based six-piece The Night VI return today with a similarly titled follow-up in the form of a lilting, understated Frank Ocean cover.

Built of warm acoustics, fluttering harp lines, silky harmonies and Sophie-Rose Harper’s gorgeous hum, “Thinkin Bout You” extracts the heavy melody from Ocean’s original and makes it the track’s centerpiece. Subdued, comforting and perfectly executed, it’s a good day to have the band back in our ears.




Labyrinth Ear - "Crescent Moon"

An exclusive taste of what’s to come on their debut full-length, London electronic duo Labyrinth Ear present stunning escapism in their new track, “Crescent Moon”. 

Opening with tumbling drum pads and motorik clicks, the song soon swings into play with glassy house bloops, warm synth kisses and vocalist Emily’s beautiful, husky coo. Equally at home on a balmy Balearic isle than accompanying a contemplative late-night drive, “Crescent Moon” will nicely wrap you up in its intricate polyrhythms and glistening electronic blushes. 

The Orchid Room is released on 14 April, with pre-order available soon.
 

LISTEN/WATCH: Reptile Youth, Volcanoes, Anto Dust

*Originally published for The Line of Best Fit (11/2/14 - 12/2/14)

Reptile Youth - "JJ"

An exciting new offering from Danish duo Reptile Youth – “JJ” is an impeccably infectious debut. 

Bouncy rhythms and swirling, My Bloody Valentine-indebted guitars spin over five minutes of hypnotic shoepop, paired with stunning black and white videography. “Testing out your immortality”, vocalist Mads Damsgaard Kristiansen shoots from the back of his throat as we peer in on him and co-member Esben Valløe suitably sacrificing themselves to icy seas. As joyful basslines pop and guitars crunch, we are constantly awaiting their next move, if only to get swallowed by the track’s attractive, patterned melodies. 

“JJ” is out now, and the band’s new album, Rivers That Run For A Sea That Is Gone, is released on 10 March.

Volcanoes - "When We Melodise"

Sheffield four-piece Volcanoes reveal a charming, imaginative video to accompany their breathtaking new single, “When We Melodise”, premiering today on Best Fit. 

Comprised of paper puppets and abundant with symbolism, the video sees a young wanderer on a quest to find a key to unlock a happiness. Like the songs’s building kinetics, it has a natural flow that slowly gathers momentum. 

The track itself is some of the most promising music we’ve heard from a young band this year: brimming with frilly guitars, murmuring strings and glowing, call-and-response harmonies that would prick up the ears of many a Fleet Foxes fan. “When We Melodise”'s strength lies it its gentle composition, with layers of folk melodies playing tag and falling just short of one another. Truly wonderful. 

“When We Melodise” will be available for sale and download on 9 March and is taken from Volcanoes’ debut album, Radiogeist, to be released later this year.

Anto Dust - "1955"

Sometimes you chance upon a band that speaks to you right from the offset and there’s no absolute way to explain why. Step forward London five-piece Anto Dust and their spellbinding new track, “1955″.

Reverb-saturated guitars, whirring psych keys, breathy vocals, looped melodies – sure, there’s nothing remarkable about the track’s distinctive dream-pop makeup, but that doesn't matter. Founded last summer by Sardinian songwriter Anto Cossu, Anto Dust were conjured for one thing only: to “fulfil her vision of her music”. Brought up on a diet of Slowdive and The Velvet Underground, it’s clear to see how that vision has been met via ethereal walls of sound and beefy atmospherics.

A song that demands to be replayed – even when looped melodies render no strict beginning nor end – is a song that deserves to be shared. All hail, “1955″.

LISTEN: Shield Patterns, Circuit Diagram, Over Sands

*Originally published for The Line of Best Fit (5/2/14 - 7/2/14)

Shield Patterns - "Dust Hung Heavy"

Electronic duo Shield Patterns reveal “Dust Hung Heavy”, the dark and emotive lead single off their forthcoming debut album.

Keys drip, samples loop, and beats drag their heavy feet on this stunning new cut from Manchester-based pair, with Claire Brentnall’s sensual vocals weaving between all the doom and gloom. There’s a real mix of the natural and synthetic: primal-like beats and intermittent breaths meet with unsettled synths, slowly but steadily bewitching the listener.




Circuit Diagram (feat. Touchy Mob) - "Motown"

Germany-based electronic act Circuit Diagram premiere “Motown” today on Best Fit, featuring doped-out vocals by underground Berlin-based singer Touchy Mob.

The urgency of the track’s live pulse hints at influences of Krautrock, whilst lush-layered synths bust neo-psychedelia with buzzy, buoyant bass lines. Touchy Mob’s dreamy, monochrome vocals simmer just above the surface, allowing the song’s weighty rhythms to carry them through until the end.

Circuit Diagrams Motown EP is out via No Counter Records on 31 March.




Over Sands - "Tune Out"

“The song below was written in a beach house, situated in a nature reserve in Essex”, begins an email from London-based duo Over Sands. “We collected field recordings from the area and used them to create some of the layers of synthesised sounds you can hear.” Let’s give it a try, then.

In short, within seconds “Tune Out” reveals itself as a stunning, majestic debut from the two brothers. Guitar lines flutter amongst lilting, earnest vocals; synths heat and cool; shuffle-pop rhythms hover, and a transient collection of sounds glide in their own natural directions.

Not a far cry from MONEY’s distinctive celestial makeup, “Tune Out” will transport you to somewhere in the heavens. We’re excited to hear more.

LISTEN/WATCH: Shivum Sharma, Orthy, Menace Beach, Madeline Mondrala

*Originally published for The Line of Best Fit (29/1/14 - 31/1/14)

Returning with a new version of his stunning bedroom demo, 18-year-old London soloist Shivum Sharma shares the unforgettable, “Flicker”.

A predominant composition of piano and voice, “Flicker” hears keys ponder, muted beats and Sharma’s falsetto crystallising upon its own breath. The demo that caused quite a stir last year has now been re-touched with lonely sax trails and bolder percussion at the close, making for a much more confident creation overall.

“Flicker’s” minimalism is charming, its melodies are cutting and it’s our Song Of The Day.




Menace Beach - "Fortune Teller"

Following the release of their debut EP earlier this month, Leeds fuzz-rock duo Menace Beach unveil the new video for “Fortune Teller”, premiering today on Best Fit.

Brimming with psychedelic imagery – from spinning aliens to neon flower flashes – the video is faultlessly suited to the track’s alluring, slacker-rock sentimentality. Dissonant guitars melt into one another and Ryan Needham and Liza Violet’s distorted vocals clash over languid drum pumps. We’re really quite mesmerised by it.

The band’s EP, Lowtalker, was released in January on Memphis Industries

Orthy - "Oasis"

Continuing the melodic makeup of “Night Touch”, Texan electronic five-piece Orthy present “Oasis”, premiering today on Best Fit. 

Taken from E.M.I.L.Y. EP, out now on NYC imprint Dither Down, the track is another nod to frontman Ian Orth’s love of multifarious tones and quintessentially bouncy house beats. It’s one blissed-out haze of grumbling bass, balmy vocals, shimmering synth and plucky guitars – welcome respite from January’s sharp bite.




Madeline Mondrala - "Busy"

Arts school student and New York soloist Madeline Mondrala reveals the video for her playful new track, “Busy”, premiering today on Best Fit.

Prancing ballerina-like in a vine-hugged abandoned space, Mondrala behaves like a true performer, matching her classical-meets-pop creation with smart visual poise. Solid piano notes bed themselves beneath Mondrala’s playful and erratic vocals, which in turn chase fleeting stringed instruments. The song brings to mind the kind of pop music Regina Specktor makes, but by all means Mondrala sounds like a popstar herself.

“Busy” is taken from Madeline Mondrala ’s debut CLOUD EP, which is streaming in full now and is available as a free download on Bandcamp for a limited time.

FEATURE: Tracks of the Week - 26/1/14

*Originally published for The Line of Best Fit (26/1/14)

What a quick week it’s been, and with it came a whole host of great new music. Here’s our pick of the best tunes from the past seven days.

Mysterious Parish bunch ANTHEMS brought breezy pan pipes, golden synths and daydream vocals to take us a million miles away from Blue Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, heck, all week. Doused in tropical sounds, “Up In Mine” is musical escapism at its finest.

Swapping the exotic for the chilly climes of Norway, new ambient/electronic soloist Sea Change presented the breathtaking “Let’s Dance” and we fell instantly in love. Beats creep, synths shatter and Ellen Sunde’s husky vocal cuts through lush, downbeat layers. Last year’s debut “Bursting” was a welcome introduction to Ms Sunde’s writing, but “Let’s Dance” is Sea Change, well, changing and growing in sound.

In sharp juxtaposition, Danish songstress MØ repudiated any suggestion of flailing one’s limbs in new pop killer, “Don’t Wanna Dance”. Admittedly, it lacks the edge of previous tracks like “XXX 88″, but it shows MØ’s determination in hitting the mainstream via bright and creative pop music.

Funk lines, cloudy harmonies and glassy synths combined to impress us on Fever Kids' new track, “Holding Grass”. Hailing from the Greece capital, the pair known only as Σtella and Alex seem to have a firm grip on how to pen tunes with groove and melody. Surely that’s the best kind.

Finally, London’s Years & Years dished out their latest ode to electro-soul, handled by rising produced Lxury (of affiliated Disclosure fame). Replete with a soaring chorus, audacious bass throbs, solid vocals and vivacious percussion, “Real” is ready to hit radio speakers.

Listen to our selection of the week’s best new music below:

LISTEN/WATCH: Sea Change, Pillar Point, Dustin Tebbutt

Sea Change - "Let's Dance"

Dreamy Nordic electropop artist Sea Change has unveiled her new single, the brooding and delicate, “Let’s Dance”. 

It’s another cold chill down the back of your neck. Building upon debut single “Bursting”‘s icy electronica, “Let’s Dance” already embodies a maturer sound from Ellen Sunde, who moved from Norway to Berlin to help develop her music. Whilst there’s a hint of wider influences, there’s still something intrinsically Scandinavian in its sound with spacious synths, tip-toeing beats and Sunde’s crisp husk.

The track builds slowly with the added appearance of gentle piano taps and forlorn synths, coming to a head in a thousand layers. Stunning.

 “Let’s Dance” is available as a limited 7” vinyl or can be sourced digitally via her website.
 


Pillar Point - "Cherry"

Shedding the skin of alt-pop act Throw Me The Statue, San Francisco’s Scott Reitherman returns under the guise of Pillar Point – this time armed with the shimmering “Cherry”. 

Set against a backdrop of scuffling beats, Krautrock bleeps and sunshine synths, “Cherry” has all the right ingredients for an assured summer hit. But Reitherman’s mournful, nostalgic vocal bites against any inferences of a joyful sound, resulting in an unnerving and attractive type of dozy electronica that’s oddly fitting for this time of year.

Following on from 2013’s “Eyeballs”, “Cherry” is the second track taken from Pillar Point’s self-titled debut full-length, released on 3 March via Polyvinyl Records.





Dustin Tebbutt - "White Lines"

Taken from his debut EP release, Australian artist Dustin Tebbutt premieres the hypnotic new video for “White Lines” on Best Fit. 

Two years ago, Tebbutt crossed the seas from down under to Scandinavia to write music. The results are four comforting, emotive songs best suited to warm colder months – more so the case than ever on “White Lines”.

The brainchild of Tebbutt and video editor Marcus Coblyn, “White Lines” sees minimalist stop-motion images loop just behind the track’s tender beating heart and aching synths, working to lull you into a rhythmic trap. It perfectly accompanies the audio – patterned melodies that slowly climb atop each other – if only to bed itself amongst these sounds than divert attention away from them. 

The Breach is out now and Tebbutt plays Servant Jazz Quarters, London on 25 February.

LISTEN/WATCH: Orthy, Pixel Fix, Lion Bark, Young Fathers, We Are Shining

*Originally published for The Line of Best Fit (13/1/14 - 16/1/14)

Orthy - "Night Touch"

Texan electronic outfit Orthy give us a taste of what’s to come on their new EP via the warm, melodic house sentiments of “Night Touch”.

Sounding like the opening to a Wild Beasts song with its sharp wood blocks snaps and rumbling percussion, “Night Call” soon finds itself lost in high energy harmonies, relentless beats and swirling, hallucinogenic layers.

The five-piece, headed up by bedroom musician Ian Orth, count The Beach Boys amongst their influences and that love of rich vocal alliances sits tight at the track’s centre.

It’s immersive stuff, so just sit back and let its lush layers wash over you.

E.M.I.L.Y. EP is out now via Dither Down, with an album to follow.

 

Pixel Fix - "Fall"

Oxford fourpiece Pixel Fix return with “Fall” and prove that guitars and electronics still make a healthy pairing. 

On last year’s releases “Rosa” and “Rome”, the band seemed to be testing the waters of this fusion, consistently marrying the two musical families with a film of ambience. On “Fall”, the band have picked up from where they left off, but this time radiate a brighter, poppier sound. Funk guitars intelligently nit-pick at rewound samples and buoyant rhythms, and soft vocals sit nice and tight in the mix.

Live, the band exude an energy that swerves towards the old math-rock leanings of fellow Oxfordians Foals, but on this song there’s a strange, active calmness that’s simply a pleasure to hear. Fall EP is out on 24 February.




Lion Bark - "Longhorns"

Brighton quintet Lion Bark have pricked up tastemakers’ ears with their perfumed dream-pop. Now they unveil the new video for “Longhorns”, premiering today on Best Fit. 

The visuals explore a young man’s paranoia seemingly imposed through self-exile, set amid cascading guitars, breezy percussion and gorgeous off-kilter croons.

Director Ben Pender explains: “Longhorns is a song about coping and coming to terms with absence. This void can quickly lead to you shutting yourself off from the outside world, seeking comfort only in mundane activities, instead of confronting your problems head on. “The result is a sequence of nightmarish reactions from a gritty and somewhat surreal reality, which leads Guy to find strength in accepting the reality he faces, and then acting upon it – knowing this perception is temporary."

“Longhorns” precedes an EP release this year.

Young Fathers - "GET UP"

Ahead of the release of their next album, DEAD, Liberian/Nigerian/Scottish trio Young Fathers drop meteoric new track, “GET UP”. 

Hitting you square on with dissonant foghorn blasts, giant beats and spits of “I’m the catalyst for the revolution”, “GET UP” knows no bounds in its impact. The trio almost refuse to be pigeonholed – yes, on the rap sections there are clear parallels with Massive Attack – but there’s something much more alternative here with smatterings of afrobeat and upfront pop. Though the track’s dissonance can unsettle you upon the first listen, you’ll soon be pushing repeat.

DEAD is out on Anticon/Big Dada on 3 February.

We Are Shining - "Killing" (feat. Eliza Doolittle)

Previously releasing tracks on Young Turks under the guise of The Shining, new London duo We Are Shining have now flipped record labels, penned chunks of their debut LP and hoisted Brit songstress Eliza Doolittle aboard for new single, “Killing”.

It’s thus a fresh start for established DJ/producer Acyde and Morgan Zarate of Hyperdub, and "Killing” sounds like they’re ready to take on the world.

Following their startling debut, “Wheel” late last year, this new track is just as impressive and eclectic; afrobeats tug at an ostinato bass line and Ms Doolittle’s bright vocals bounce along syncopated rhythms.

Brass interjections are heard amongst watery guitars at the close – notably the only big change in the song’s loop-lush character – boldy reminding you why they can’t be ignored. Much like Young Fathers who we featured yesterday, We Are Shining style a world music of their own.

 “Killing” is taken from the duo’s new mixtape.

LISTEN/WATCH: Girl Band, DENA, LOLO, Cheerleader & Rare Monk

*Originally published for The Line of Best Fit (6/1/14 - 10/1/14)

Girl Band - "Lawman" 

Dublin noise quartet Girl Band unleash a sprawling, six-minute beast of a song in “Lawman”. Oh, and they’re not girls. 

In early 2013, the band’s barmy-but-brilliant cover of Blawan’s “What You Do With What You Have” chomped down on the original’s techno beats and spat it out as a new creation. The band’s new “anti single” has the same beating heart at its core, paired with industrial stomp and dissonant guitars that meet in a dirty cacophony of sound.

The track builds slowly amid schoolboy vocals (“I used to be good-looking”) and bolstering high-hats. It’s anyone’s guess what effects are used or where the boys draw their inspiration from, but they clearly value channelling energy into every available nook. By its nature “Lawman” will likely split opinion, and that’s part of its charm.
 


DENA - "Bad Timing" [Video Teaser]

Berlin-based artist DENA builds excitement towards her debut album with a smouldering video teaser for “Bad Timing”. 

Set against a backdrop of distant city lights, Denitza Torodrova (DENA) glows in UV as if to seek her lover out amidst the frantic pace of urban life. “When you think about it what we’ve got/ is bad timing”, she chirps in the full song (listen here) whilst sleepy hip-hop beats and sharp hand-claps loop. Vocals tumble on top of each other, shedding themselves of the urgency heard on upbeat offerings “Thin Rope” and “Games”.

The teaser works exactly as it should by getting us a bit too excited for her debut, “Flash”, released on 3 March (via Normal Surround).

LOLO - "Gangsters" (feat. Giggs)

Tennessee via Brooklyn popstress LOLO returns with her most soulful song to date. 

Recalling Amy Winehouse’s revival of 60s soul with its no bones vocal, tottering rhythms and blasts of brass, “Gangsters” is one polished slab of pop music. Accessible without lacking imagination (save for the superfluous mid-section rap by Giggs), it’s clear to see why she is joining the likes of pop newcomer John Newman on his upcoming UK tour.

Cheerleader - "New Daze"

Philadelphia-based quintet Cheerleader unveiled their indie-pop track “New Daze” last summer. Now they’ve released the accompanying video, created at the hands of Vondelpark filmmaker Ciaran Wood. 

In truth, you’d be pushed to find a more suited video for Cheerleader’s gorgeous lo-fi sound. With its nostalgic home-video makeup and slow-mo scenes of summer driving, the visuals pair up all too nicely with the track’s dozy vocals and shuffle-pop sentiments . Hypnotic, cyclical imagery works to keep you watching right until the end.

Rare Monk - "Splice"

Portland band Rare Monk kick off 2014 with a limited release of “Splice” and show us a thing or two about crafting near-perfect indie rock.

Armed with zippy guitars and steady percussion, “Splice” at first travels slowly, lifted by dreamy vocal harmonies and subtle electronic hues. This melodic slow-burn could carry on quietly, but the troupe decide it’s not enough and abandon all expectations for one unabashed, thunderous blow-out. Their sonic sound only leaves the heart yearning for more.

LISTEN: DESSERT - Lovelink

*Originally published for The Line of Best Fit (2/1/13)

Mysterious LA trio DESSERT dish up genre-hopping track “Lovelink” and keep us guessing their every move.

There’s no easy genre-tagging here; “Loveink” is an absolutely baffling musical journey that makes harsh cuts between subtle piano pop, glitchy electronica and modern RnB. The bolshy bass at the 50-second mark is the grimiest drop we’ve heard in months and makes a welcome return amid glassy police sirens and languid vocals.

The band’s internet bio is exceptionally sparse, but for now we’re happy to let the music do the talking.

LISTEN: Daniel Wilson - Will You

*Originally published for The Line of Best Fit (2/1/14)

Proving that simple compositions often make the most arresting pieces of music, enter 'Will You' by Michigan soloist, Daniel Wilson.

The track hits you like a ton of bricks with its impossibly clear falsetto and contagious vocal hooks, all buoyed by footstep piano notes and ecclesial harmonies. Although the track landed on Wilson’s soundcloud just a few days before Christmas, it’s already racked up 15,000 + listens, suggesting his balladry is as impressionable to us as the next music fan.

Daniel Wilson’s new EP is due out in March via Zap Records.

LISTEN: BROODS - Never Gonna Change

*Originally published for The Line of Best Fit (30/12/13)

Packing enough pop punch to force anyone to revise their ones to watch lists, NZ siblings BROODS return with another stellar creation in 'Never Gonna Change'. 

October’s 'Bridges' was a breakthrough for the duo who have since signed to Polydor (UK) and Capitol (USA). It was hard to imagine another track that could so quickly shoot you in the heart.

But 'Never Gonna Change' is equally as gripping, showing off the act’s darker side with brooding (geddit?) synths, scuttling percussion and fleshy vocal blushes. Georgia Nott whips her souffléd vocals into a thicker syrup, complemented by heavy harmonies and coarse guitar solos. It’s quite startling and is only the second song they’ve ever written. Ever.

Expect big things for BROODS in 2014, who have Lorde producer Joel Little in tow and support from, basically, the whole internet.

LISTEN: Painted Palms - Here It Comes

*Originally published for The Line of Best Fit (30/12/13)

San Francisco/Louisiana duo Painted Palms have got us all caught up in their swirling, 60s-indebted psych pop with new track, “Here It Comes”.

Light-hearted synths are tightly wound and released over crackling beats, jingle bells and layers of muddy vocal. There’s something creative and childlike about the song with its densely looped melodies, simple keys and heavy bass plods, like if Animal Collective were to soundtrack the Rugrats (now, wouldn’t that be something)?

“Forever” got blogs talking but “Here It Comes” is just as much a conversation starter. The duo release their self-titled debut album in January 2014.

LISTEN: Febueder - Sloppiness Tank

*Originally published for The Line of Best Fit (20/11/13)

Ahead of the release of their debut EP this month, Ascot outfit Febueder treat us to another bracing, off-kilter pop song in 'Sloppiness Tank'. 

Hollow guitar notes and glottal vocals at the start spark quick comparisons to Alt-J (the track sounds a lot like 'Taro'), but there’s something different about Febueder. There’s more more groove and stomp to what we’ve heard so far of their music – more rock ‘n’ roll – even if neurotic coos and mathy guitars are found sweeping in and out.

It’s early to make big statements about the trio, but they’ve sure as hell got some fire in their bellies.

Soap Carve EP is out on 25 November on Tape Club Records.

LISTEN: Banoffee - Reign Down

*Originally published for The Line of Best Fit (20/11/13)

Australian soloist Banoffee follows up her impressive debut single with 'Reign Down' – a delicious slice of supple RnB. 

Blanket synths, slow beats and twisted, vocoda-like male vocals make a warm concoction for Martha Brown’s brand of sugary, electronic RnB. It’s more immediate than debut single 'Ninja' with its forceful rhythms and is bound to get everyone a little excited for her upcoming EP.

Banoffee’s new EP is scheduled for release in early 2014.

LISTEN: Saol Álainn - Nostroke

*Originally published for The Line of Best Fit (15/11/13)

LA producer Saol Álainn may be new on the scene, but debut track 'Nostroke' sounds like an established artist at work.

'Nostroke' is an intelligent, off-kilter piece of music. Weedy harmonies lie quiet at the start, before one of the nastiest drops we’ve heard in months dumps itself atop glitchy electronics. There’s jittery house, rewound piano, dulled beats and intricate time signatures, which all seem to add up to some clever musical algorithm way beyond our ears.

Information on Mr Álainn is sparse; but whatever musical secrets he’s hiding, bring them forth. 'Nostroke' is out now on NY-based label, No Recordings.

LISTEN: GEMS - Ephemera

*Originally published for The Line of Best Fit (14/11/13)

Washington DC pop duo GEMS released their debut EP this week and their latest track 'Ephemera' will make you gush all the more about your new favourite band.

Pop hits-in-waiting of this kind can be few and far between, but GEMS seem to unload them with enviable ease. Opening with starry synths, 'Ephemera' soon ignites with big, bad beats, 80s phaser guitar and Lindsay Pitts’ glacial vocals.

There’s uncanny chemistry between Ms Pitts and her accomplice, Cliff Usher, whose gentle boy/girl harmonies bubble away beneath the surface, quickly reaching boiling point with shattered electro drums and densely layered synth.

If you do one thing this week, listen to their music and tell all your friends.