You've got to love the small record companies throughout this world. Devoid of any or the pretensions - or even any intention - of commercial success, these tiny enterprises release music from bands that you are guaranteed to be unfamiliar with. Even better, they release the music on vinyl and then send it across the Atlantic to Glasgow. Hence this review of Phantasm and their single "Irukandji".
Phantasm are a three piece band with a rather eclectic sound that bounces, somewhat awkwardly at times, between hard rock and that curiously appealing New York version of funk. The musicianship that is on show is of a high standard and there is an oddball appeal to the lyrics (an irukandji is apparently some sort of vicious jellyfish) but, as is the often the way, there is a lack of focus that borders on pretension to colour the proceedings. For all that, this song is a promising start and certainly not boring.
Released as a split 7" single with Everything Ends on Silent Home Recordings.