Monday, November 21, 2011

REVIEW// Being There: The Radio

     London quartet Being There seem to have made a fairly substantial name for themselves while flying just under this blogs new music radar. They've supported Noah and the Whale during their first tour for a start, and their latest split single dropped only today! A fab double A side consisting of 'The Radio' and 'Back to the Future', it's available to purchase from the Young and Lost Club, a label that has turned out a number of hits, the most recent of which being Little Racer's fairly stunning debut. I fear we're straying from the topic at hand, but then maybe that's what Being There want! They live to recreate those innocent childhood summers, filled with laughter and blurred by the glare of a magnificent sun. The outfit is already there, as the name suggests, but their simple form of indie-pop lets us join them for a few glorious minutes. Your mind wanders as you reminisce long afternoons and collapsing into the soft, welcoming sheets of your bed after them. Their single 'Tomorrow', which dropped back at the start of the summer, seems to reflect this aesthetic, but it's this latest effort which does more for me. It's one thing to record a summery track in summer, but a different thing entirely to release one in winter to the same effect. This single is truly fantastic. A nostalgia-fuelled adventure, it effortlessly warms your chilly November bones with it's reverb and guitar and aching drums. It's a dream, limited only to your imagination.
     The first track from this dual-powered collection is 'The Radio', a number that swims in the afore-mentioned lake of glittering reverb. There is a subtly lo-fi quality to the sound in these couple of minutes, echoing at the back of your head as the lyrics weave in out out of a melody as light and airy as a midsummer breeze. It's a danceable tune, but one that retains enough sincerity and wistful longing to be thoughtful as well. The lead vocals are pleasantly delicate, floating atop a bed of cheery drum phrases, but in my opinion the next track here, 'Back to the Future' trumps 'The Radio' every time. Emerging from fluctuating radio waves, you can immediately identify a more powerful, confident rhythm. While there is a deeper tone to the backing, the singing remains almost the same, bubbling under that same film of suggestive vibration. A smile-inducing build offers a tantalising glimpse into a future together with the person you love, before being snatched away by the ultimate and oh so beautiful drum beat. Stream 'The Radio' below, and check out the single over here!