Scruff Of The Neck Presents ... - 20160523
- Written by Dave Beech
For your entertainment during another working week here's five more hand-picked delights from the Scruff Of The Neck stable.
Bayonet – 'Everything'
Released last Friday, the latest single from Sheffield four-piece Bayonet is an upbeat and punchy slice of tropi-pop. Relentless percussion is offset by sleek and swimmy guitar licks; the propulsive stop-start instrumentation adding to the track's frenetic nature. With a clear ear for both a hook and melody, Bayonet are going places.
Painted Waves – 'The Central Souls'
Hailing from Glasgow, Painted Waves embody a quintessentially Scottish brand of atmospheric indie. Latest single 'The Central Souls' is rich in both jangles and nostalgia, while its backing harmonies are the perfect accompaniment to the timbre of the lead vocal.
DECO – 'Turn Around'
Subscribing to a similar brand of swimmy indie-pop to Bayonet, London/Notts-based DECO have already made quite a name for themselves. The band's most recent single 'Turn Around' is built around button-bright synths and falsetto vocal harmonies, drawing comparisons to the likes of Two Door Cinema Club or Jaws. Having already earned favour at the likes of Radio 1, we can expect to hear a lot more from DECO soon.
Dharma Wild – 'Woodsmoke'
Dharma Wild first caught my attention after the band handed me their demo outside a gig. 'Woodsmoke' was the only track on it, but that's all that was needed. Steeped in nuance, it's a track both delicate and imposing. Rich swells of brass colour huge open swathes of instrumentation, creating an almost bucolic brand of post-rock that's certain to take them places.
Visitors – 'Save Me'
Though a grunge band at heart, Liverpool's Visitors manage to retain their Scouse heritage while making more noise than most of the city's indie bands. 'Save Me' is an explosion of guitars and clattering percussion while its strong, impassioned vocal never feels lost among the instrumentation. Somewhat of a breath of fresh air amongst a scene stifled by ten-a-penny indie bands, Visitors feel like one of Liverpool's most vital bands.