The Silverfish are one of those bands I’ve been hearing good things about since LSF was started but, to my great shame, I’ve never actually checked out. So when the band got in contact asking us to review their next single I was really keen to say yes. Actually I was rather keener when I saw that they describe themselves an art-pop band. I have a bit of a thing about bands that put themselves into art-pop/art-rock niche (Editors note: bands using this as a way to get Frank to review their releases should note that he has rather strict guidelines as what the terms art-pop/art-rock mean, he’s likely to reject anyone who just throws this into the description of their music as a way to get him to actually listen to it!). Thankfully the two tracks on The Silverfish’s single do show that ‘artfully constructed’ thing that art-pop/art-rock has, so one big box ticked.

The lead track on the single, ‘Pop Psych’, isn’t as it’s title might misleadingly suggest anything like a psych track. It’s actually, to nick the phrase used my friend when I played it to her, a bit like a post-punk/Goth track but as played by Heaven 17 with a rather nice dub twist. This sounds like a mess but isn’t, it’s actually hugely poppy and way danceable. Do feel free to throw some nice 80s’ dance moves, I did.

The stand out thing here is that this track, in common with ‘Untuck’, has so much space in places in the music that there’s almost more space than music. The thing is with that degree of space is that if the band couldn’t play it would be really obvious, thankfully they clearly know what they’re doing.

The vocals on this are fab, the main vocal has that 80s New Romantic thing going on and there are these really great backing vocals.

With all this space, the moments when the track breaks out – a really fierce bass bit, the dense end section – really feel so so powerful.

I’ve grown rather addicted to ‘Pop Psych’, this thing is so damn good.

‘Untucked’ again has that dubby feel but this time the band throw in something that sounds a bit ska-y, but this time the vocals are high pitched at least to start with. It kinda reminds me of something I’ve heard – just in the sound – but for the life of me it just won’t come to me. It’s rather more, lets say, epic in feel that ‘Pop Psych’. It has this sort of build from bass and vocals to a rather fierce guitar thing, to a dense slow keyboard thing with these drops to all light.

It’s not as immediate as ‘Pop Psych’ but listening again I began to get it. This thing people is a grower. In fact it’s one of those things that creeps into your head and just won’t leave.

Hearing the two tracks that make up the single I’m really regretting not taking a listen much much earlier to The Silverfish’s stuff. This single is just so good, so bloody addictive it should be labelled hazardous. Do I recommend it, course I do, go listen to it people.

The single will be released on 3rd October but in the meantime you can listen below

The info

The Silverfish first met in September 2014 at the University of Sheffield and have been active on the local scene since 2016.

The band have released their debut six-track EP, Protzig, which was self-released by the band to local acclaim, with ‘Pluto’ being featured on English Rain’s Sounds of 2016 playlist and ‘Inertia’ chosen for Scruff of the Neck’s Sheffield playlist. In addition, both ‘The Cartographer’ and ‘Regulations’ were picked up and broadcast by BBC Introducing in Sheffield.

The band have played at Tramlines festival in Sheffield and have released two further singles, Fish Disco and Just Drift Back towards the end of 2017. The new single, Pop Psych/Untucked was recorded at Old Pig Farm and is due for release on 03/10/18 with a release party planned that night at The Washington.

The Silverfish are:

Vocalist Christian Musgrove
Guitarist Max Godsland
Keyboard player Billy Hughes
Drummer Jake McCarthy
Bassist James Wilson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesilverfishband/

Upcoming gigs

Pop Psych/Untucked Release Party
Wednesday, 3 October 2018 from 19:00-23:00
The Washington, 79 Fitzwilliam Street, S1 4JP Sheffield

I’d sorta been wondering when the next DENSE release would hit, and like those buses of old along come two tracks I’ve not heard all at once (with the welcome return of ‘Irreversible Knot’  and ‘The Smoke’ for added listening pleasure). Oh blissful joy.

So if you don’t know DENSE let me get you clued up. DENSE play psychedelic garage rock, it’s loud, it’s just loaded with fuzz, noise and guitars with all sorts of way groovy effects. It just comes at you in waves of hypnotic noise, it’s just the most beautiful thing.

Given that I’ve already reviewed ‘Irreversible Knot’ I’m not going to be reinventing the wheel, go read my review, and come back here for the other three tracks OK? Here’s the headline – This, my friends, is like falling down a well of noise, you spiral down and down, hoping against hope that it doesn’t ever end (but of course it does in a welter of effects).

Bass, that’s what eases you into ‘Stone’, thudding thudding bass. There are drums, there are vocals shrouded in a fog of effects. And while there is waves of guitar there is also the most wonderful bass groove. Look for DENSE this swerves into something almost psychedelic pop, I say almost and I mean almost but should you care to you could throw some pretty effective shapes to this thing. It’s a blast people.

‘The Smoke’ (see my longer review) sees the return of that hypnotic noise, it comes at you like a wave and washes over you. There are vocals, the vocals are there but they are buried deep, so deep, in the sound. The pauses in the noise just serve to prepare you for that next lovely, oh so lovely, wave of sound, of noise, of glorious guitar.

Oh boy ‘Third Eye’ has this surf guitar sound, added to a rushing roaring garage sound. The vocals scream, they prowl, they just add to the thrill of the that swampy sound that at times veers, it swerves, into something almost punk.

This EP is a blast, it’s groovy, it’s mind and ear blowing, it’s just all sorts of fab. Get this and play way loud, as loud as you dare, and get ready to drown in sound.

The info

DENSE are:

Charlie Fossick – Vocals/Guitar
Dylan Metcalf – Bass Guitar
Sam Heffer – Drums

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/dense-music
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/denseband/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/denseband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialdense/

Upcoming gigs in our area

Generation // Dense // Honey Arcade // Session Hats
Tuesday, 6 November 2018 from 19:30-23:30
Lending Room. The Library Pub, 229 woodhouse lane, LS2 3AP Leeds

I adore Mega Happy, I love their strangeness and this warped thing they have. Sometimes they can be strange musically, sometimes lyrically and even both. ‘I Want Your Boyfriend’ is fairly, let’s say, non-strange – I’d say straight but perhaps that’s not a good choice of word in this case – musically but lyrically it’s a different thing altogether. This song has a particular lyrical moment has just had me bursting with joy.

Musically this sounds a little New Order-ish in places but then again not. Then again it’s sometimes a bit Indie but then again not. And then there is this guitar break at the end which is just yummy.

But the strangeness, well I say strangeness but quite how else do I describe quite what this track is about, is the words, the story they tell. It is just the strangest thing to write a song about. But then again why in the hell not. It’s basically about a guy who wants the boyfriend of this girl, but the way it’s done is just witty, clever and laugh out loud funny in places. And that moment of utter joy, well it’s around 2.28 in but you’re going to have to find out yourself, I’m not going to spoil that for you.

‘I Want Your Boyfriend’ is just wonderful. This is just yet another brilliant thing from Mega Happy. Can’t wait until the next release, they just get better and better.

The info

Mega Happy are:

Patrick Foster – vocals/keyboard
Austin O’neil – Guitar
Leigh Midgley – Bass
Jonathan Alderson – Drums

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megahappyband/

Upcoming gigs

Suburban Living + Mega Happy
Wednesday, 28 November 2018 from 19:00-23:00
Oporto, 31-33 Call Lane, LS1 7BT Leeds

Back in March I raved in a frankly unrestrained way about The Real Ink’s EP ‘Part 1’, so when the opportunity came up to review a new single I said yes before even actually listening to the track. Something which, as you might imagine, could have been – let’s say – a little risky. But sometimes it’s worth taking a risk.

‘Boi’ is just the funkiest ska-iest thing, it’s frankly something that you’re not going to be able to resist dancing madly to. But I’m getting ahead of myself here, let’s just clue you in. The Real Ink mix Funk, Reggae, Jazz and Ska, play like crazily well, and have a real gem of a singer in Molly.

‘Boi’ kinda majors on Funk and Ska. Look people this thing is so damn funky, that sax is just so damn sexy, that bass is just so cool, and that voice is thrilling. Molly has this, how shall I put it, yelp she uses that is just fascinating and wonderful- that’s when she’s not singing in that gloriously raw way she does sometimes, or even that smooth thing.

This song would be way way cool if it just did what it does at the beginning for the whole thing but does it do that, no way people, it has this slower section and then it revs way way up, faster and faster until until you can do is throw yourself around the room. The whole is just so so good it takes over your head, it takes over your whole body until you are bouncing.

‘Boi’ is just glorious, go get some Real Ink in your life.

‘Boi’ is available on Spotify & iTunes

The info

The Real Ink are from Manchester but play frequently in the LSF area. INK are:

Vocals – Molly Hall
Saxophone – Seph Fountain
Guitar – Fynn Birch
Bass – Gabe Burke
Drums- Aron Mather

https://www.musicglue.com/inkofficiall/
https://www.facebook.com/ink.officiall/

Upcoming gigs

The Real Ink Presents: Light & Noise
Saturday, 27 October 2018 from 19:00-23:00
Factory Manchester
https://www.facebook.com/events/390475801478457/