I’m not sure why I thought Scottish band Decade would be just another indie rock band as their song “Athens” supplies more than enough evidence of an artistic intent greater than being mere purveyors of guitar riffs. Really rather good.
“True Love” is indeed pleasing electro pop with Line Glow demonstrating her own particular style rather successfully. Her voice is appealingly wistful and her, rather smarter than average, words are weaved neatly through the loops.
The mainstream is where Sofia Gillani chooses to reside and “Wake Up” duly contains all the processed goodness that results from such an artistic decision. Unsurprisingly therefore, there are no surprises from this aspiring pop princess.
Combining some appealingly delicate female vocals with synthetic loops and swoops gives Eidetic Dreams the kind of stylistic advantage that the cool kids will want to hear. “Eidetic Dream “ – their song – is most definitely a style thing.
A Greek band, commuter act out their post punk fantasies with a degree of gusto whilst adding in a bucket full of screeching guitars and David Byrne style vocal rants to therefore make “Mono” seem adequately familiar to genre fans.
San Jose seem to be the kind of band that eschews loops as a means of stretching out their song until the sunset and they instead substitute the melodramatic and rambling arrangement that duly blesses “The Bastards” with a pleasing artistic integrity.
“Joyless” it might well be but Origami Horses have a distinct way of pulling a whole bundle of post punk influences into a song and making the result seem almost melodic. Perhaps not one for the mainstream but not entirely inaccessible either.
Brooding to a point just south of angst, “Sentimental” gives Lizzie Smith the opportunity to show us that she can mix a bit of musical discord into her recipe for emotional marble cake. Listen twice and it becomes a state of introspection thing.
Middle Class Guilt do a nice line in post punk styled ditties laced with laconic indifference and “The Golden Tiger” duly adds another heaped teaspoon of tempo shifting angst to their full to overflowing cappuccino cup. Worship that cardigan!
When it comes down to it, it’s a style thing and surf punk band 38 Coffin have style. They also have attitude and those almost untidy guitars walk their song “Little Devil” all the way back to the bar for another beer. Snappy and then some.
“Bob Dylan Was On Pawn Stars in 2010” sounds like it should be an indie rock song but, to Really Good Time’s credit, their words are well skewed from the mediocrity associated with that genre. Muscular but nonetheless worthy.
Bleak, moody and ingesting as much of the available atmosphere as is possible with but loops and emoted vocals in her toolkit, Synne Sanden strikes out for the sanctuary of the arthouse with her song “Flash”. Deeply meaningful, I’m sure.