I call it the rave trigger, the part of my brain tickled by sounds that whisk me back to 1992 and a parallel digital underworld mapped out by Megadrive games and Kaos Theory compilation tapes. Nostalgia for how it felt. Xosar is the latest wizkid to map out that territory in new and wonderful ways, here conjuring up an entire alternative dimension based around a dystopian future set in 2051 comparable to the Flashback saga and complete with its own period soundtrack. 'Xymeria' is the stuff of childhood dreams, a voyage through every imagination stimulant of my formative years. Top notch.
Pink city Punk from Toulouse, Nightwatchers blend frantic early 80s US Hardcore (Husker Du, Mission of Burma) with the more hummable NYC branch of punk rock (Ramones, Misfits) all revved up and spat out over six blistering tracks. There's a pretty dynamic punk scene taking shape across Southern France right now - I'd have included Marseille's Tommy and the Cougars in this list if they'd released anything in 2017 - and this is another welcome addition to the club.
There's something in the water over in Rennes that seems to bring out the creative genius in the locals. Whatever it is there's no shortage of talent and more importantly a massive range of different styles to enjoy ranging from the uncompromisingly savage to the improbably leisurely. The Soap Opera fall toward the latter end of the spectrum, their melodic psych edging toward the weird and wonderful class of 2003 (Fiery Furnaces, My Morning Jacket, British Sea Power). They're more interested in expanding their minds than playing to the gallery and it suits them just fine.
The more I learn about the DIY Aussie scene the more I like it, the raucous local sense of humour coupled with the road-tested haggardness of putting in the time and distance to get noticed yielding some real gems. JRB gives it to you rough, honest and full of piss and vinegar in the same vein as NYC's The Men - this is like listening to indie bootcamp, voice and instruments being ruthlessly drilled to within an inch of their lives before they are sent into battle. If you find yourself searching for the soul of today's indie guitar music, here it is.
If there's one thing you can't fake in metal it's location, that special something in the soil that gives the music a unique twist and hooks in listeners from elsewhere in the world. Iceland's Solstafir come off like their prog-leaning Scandinavian cousins Opeth/Enslaved mired in geographical isolation - these guys sound like they've spent a nine-month winter stranded in a log cabin listening to Rush LPs and drawing straws on which member they eat first when the food runs out. This is a band not so much strung out as resigned to its fate, the serene acceptance of encroaching oblivion.
Puna's been doing the rounds for two decades now but I confess she only showed up on my radar this year and revealed how much I'd missed. 'Two Windows' is her first LP in seven years and sounds like the work of a steady hand with enough time to get every detail just right. Think chillwave era indie (Suuns, School of Seven Bells) with extra breathing room, the less is more approach winning again. There's a mesmeric cover of Kings of Leon's 'The Bucket' plus some of the year's best singles for my money although they're probably too understated to get noticed. Their loss, our gain.
Mellow, laidback, catchy - that's the Bootchy philosophy and I'm not about to argue with it. Much like the Soap Opera LP above, 'Childish Bazar' is the work of musical minds left to wile away the hours in their own private universe soaking up the sunshine and raiding their parent's vinyl collection. This is a streamlined dose of revivalist flower power, a bit like the slower tracks from the early Vines albums (minus the bipolar stage antics). They kick it up in places such as the anthemic 'Space Bubble' but overall it's in cruise control where they shine the brightest. This is 2017's soundtrack to sleeping late.
If I was scoring these albums simply on how often I played them in 2017 then this one would be much higher. It's been four years since Blondes' previous record 'Swisher' gently blew my mind and the aptly-titled 'Warmth' further distills the vibe of its predecessor to gorgeous effect. This sounds like falling backwards through clouds of electronic light, movement slowed down so that each texture can pored over whilst the momentum guides you onwards. I could listen to this a thousand times and still find new things about it to love. If you need a record to take the edge off this'll do the trick.
When Danny Boyle shone a light on Brighton's Fuck Buttons by including them in the 2012 Olympic ceremony it felt like the rock they'd gestated under had been abruptly lifted to send their most mischievous elements scurrying for cover. Fragmenting into separate projects has rolled back on some of that invasive exposure and co-parent John Power is back to his old ways here although he's moved past the contrary sense-battering of their early years and picked up where 2009's acclaimed 'Tarot Sport' left off and 'World Eater' is another series of intriguing orbits at the fringes of the galaxy.
We all lead busy lives these days so indie guitar music has to grab any opportunity to muscle its way in and win our hearts. Omni know how to sing for their supper and 'Multi-Task' is the kind of album ideally suited to a half hour commute or a spot of breakfast, anthemic enough to grab your attention but over before you get bored. Think angular indie a la Parquet Courts with a hint of early 80s US New Wave and nary a second wasted along the way. The eleven tracks here get off the marks quickly to leave a hook and a riff in your head for the rest of the day. Slick, catchy and disarmingly fit for purpose.
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