Wednesday 12 February 2020

Pet Shimmers 'Face Down in Meta'


New album from Bristiol six-piece PET SHIMMERS out now


Led by Oliver Wilde, the Bristolians, hot on the heels of other British groups who can count above four, see Black Country, New Road; are a band who take issues of personality and self and weave with it an array of musical influences from electronica to jazz to funk to pop.

The final record FACE DOWN IN META is a carefully assembled collection of sonic wonder which reminds this listener of 2018's Spirit of the Beehive.

Lead single 'Post-Dick Circle Fuck' deals with body positivity and the media creation of perfection; while these can sound loud in their earnestness their is a soft subtleness to the production, not overbearing and look at me format but more a look at what we can do appreciation.

'Super Natural Teeth' is a great track, a song of harmony, drive and ambition with technical accomplishment on full display, it is the second track on the album following the short opener and serves as a key point of the band's intention.

Which is followed by the trippy 'Mortal Sport Argonaut' this may be Zappa like song titles, but there is an invitation here to come and explore, the music is not off putting but more contributory, they have done the hard work they just need you to listen to complete the project; this is an album where different people will garner different emotional responses to the music. This makes for an exciting moment to review and share.

The plethora of potential on offer from such a unique album is palpable, Wilde may be the ringleader but with his cohorts - Will Carkett, Richard Clarke, Ellie Gray, Lexie Jennings, Mig Schillace and Florrie Adamson-Leggit - this is a band who are ripe not only for more airplay but a greater fanbase which is sure to grow when the festival season comes around.


The album will garner a greater understanding upon further listens, yet second single 'Tyson' is a winner of the softness again, small keynotes branching out into a vaster more hypnotic sound.  The band harness mixing, loops, archive footage to create a piece of artistic credibility amongst the three note chord challenge taking place on normal indie releases.

The album is available now on all formats or from the bandcamp page here.

My thanks to One Beat PR for the review opportunity.

The band are on tour with (Sandy) Alex G in the UK and Europe throughout February.

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