Spotted last week supporting Coves at Power Lunches (review here) were New Zealanders She's So Rad, who really impressed with an excellent mix of fuzzed up noise and solid beats. This week we feature their debut album In Circles from last year.
She’s So Rad is a three piece act of Jeremy Toy, Anji Sami and Tom Healy. The band has duo vocals, guitar, bass and synthesizer with electronic drums and midi sequencing. The idea behind this is that all the sounds, even though programmed are still organic, live and eludes to the vibe of 90’s shoegaze/alt music. The band have been playing in New Zealand and Australia since the release of their first album in August 2011, and 2012 so far has seen them open for Ladyhawke in the U.K. as well as the Coves gig.
In Circles was recorded at multiple locations in Auckland, from the fanciest of recording studios to makeshift vocal booths in bedroom closets; with cellphone recorded pianos, and featuring musicians ranging from high school colleagues to IT programmers, ex flatmates, brother-in-laws and even a record spinning Texan cargo loader!
As the band's blurb describes;
"Drifting between gorgeously bruised, camouflaged pop songs coated with layers of washed out guitars and effects, and purposefully lo-fi gear that at times eludes to golden era hip hop while sounding modern enough to be tagged chillwave, In Circles is both economic and profoundly satisfying."
To which I can add little - as it's a fair assessment of their sound to be honest. As mentioned in the gig write-up - what comes across (especially live) is an almost seamless blend of bus-sized waves of guitar assault and the deep bottom end behind it making a lot of material eminently groove-worthy. Saying that however, my own favourite from the LP would have to be Cirles which is more punchy than electro-dancey, and aside from having an inspired wicked video (check YouTube) ends up sounding something like the Silversun Pickups by way of Sonic Youth. Which is fine by me!
According to the band themselves - a second album is in the works for this year, and if the pre-released single Confetti is anything to go by then expect a few firms nods to deeper 'gaze sounds such as Loveless-era My Bloody Valentine.
So, I can confirm wholeheartedly that She's So Rad have made one official convert as a consequence of their UK visit, and it's hoped that it's not too long until we see them again.