A shimmering, sparkling, ethereal dream-pop and shoegaze debut by the London trio with an ornithological theme in the context of human impact, and significant echoes in flight of their key influences Cocteau Twins, Lush, My Bloody Valentine, and Slowdive. It’s certainly an impressive wash of reverb-heavy effects particularly from the layered textures and silvery curtains of sound from guitarist Ben Easton alongside the delicate, high, fragile vocals of Dottie Cockram and percussion from Harry Catchpole. Opener Smile instantly builds those waves of glorious warm sound, but it is Seabird as the instant standout – expansively beautiful, sonically evoking a wide open sky, soaring with layers of guitar chords and fable style lyrics addressing an omnipotent creature on the wing: “O seabird, your secrets keep you true / To the sky, what keeps you bathed in blue?” Later in the album, Alma is another highlight, an ethereal, floating number with gently driving beats, the lyrics evoking shoreline sights. Alfie is an ethereal 7-minute work written as a tender ode and farewell to Easton’s family dog, evoking bittersweet childhood memories, but with a cathartic emotional release. Gypsophilia and the closing title track typify the album’s more ambient, slow, breathy, dreamscape and cinematic aura, alongside much else to bathe into. Fragile, gently powerful, and at times exceptionally beautiful, it’s a mature, evocative and very accomplished debut. Out on Bella Union.
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