Five songs to kick start your week.
Blanco Tranco – Take Care Of Yourself
The new single from Blanco Tranco is somewhat darker than their previous output. I am not sure if this is a one off or a change in direction but either way it’s effective. Lyrically, given it’s nature, it’s a moody song but musically it sounds vibrant with some nice sounding, swirling guitars.
Tip Top Nap – まばゆい世界
Kyoto’s Tip Top Nap deliver a sparkling shoegaze effort on their new single Dazzling World that I am sure tells a good story if only I had some lyrics to translate. I like the way the band try to impose themselves on the oh so obvious shoegazing template and the strong vocals of Natsumi Yamamoto go someway in achieving that. The diversions in the sound halfway through also gives it an edge although I cannot help wondering if the song is just a tad on the long side.
エイプリルブルー – 結晶
Staying in Japan but heading North, the Tokyo based April Blue deliver a poppier take on the shoegaze/dreampop thang on their new single Crystal. It almost sounds like a J-Pop track for the alternative kids. It’s Shinkansen fast with it’s delivery whilst the energetic vocal delivery certainly grabs the listeners attention. Possibly their best track to date.
Космос на потолке – Колдхарт
The new single from the Russian band Космос на потолке translates as Coldheart. One of the band members writes about the song that “the story that I came up with was that the dude* had painted himself into a certain performer. And now he represents it constantly. It’s like she’s in his room, for example. But in real life, he is a loner and generally a coldheart. hat is, he has more imaginary love.” Nice 1960’s girl band tinged dreampop and very good with it too.
* a Last FM user called Coldheart
The Photocopies – Like Teenage Love
More punk/new wave tinged indiepop from the Michigan based, and exiled Londoner, Sean Turner. The track, which will not appear on the forthcoming mini album for being a bit rowdy, fuzzes along quite gracefully which makes it the ideal single material really. It’s backed with Grown-up Political Discourse which has delightful, and very apt, football terrace style chant of “Tory tosser, Tory Tory tosser” running all the way through it. One to sing when I watch the news!
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