Paul Messis is back with another slice of vinyl recorded at State HQ and released by 13 O’Clock. Here is the strangely sundrenched video for the bleak psych jangler “Nightmares”. An a-side that manages to sound like both The Electric Prunes and West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, while remaining uniquely Messis. Even better I think, is the flip “Penny Arcade”. Here we have a bittersweet beat ballad, carried by a beautiful melody that makes me think of one of my favourite groups Sandy Coast. Another winner from Monsieur Messis.
And of course, directly from the State, comes the 2nd 45 from Denmark’s The Youth. The Sandgate studio has done wonders for the group’s sound. This is a truly menacing beat record, almost blowing Thee Vicars out of the water. “I’ll Call Your Bluff” has that great putdown vocal with a compelling continental groove. The Youth channel the best of Scandinavian and mainland Europe 60s beat, and on the incredible “You’ve Done Me Wrong” they have cut a track that would’ve kept the Star Club crowd dancing past 4am. The best new garage group of 2014? Well, I’ve yet to hear the Rosalyns debut 45.
In more 13 O’Clock related news, the first album from Sweden’s The Flight Reaction should be out imminently. And while we’re speaking of State Records’ studio, I should mention that my wishes have been heeded, and The Kumari’s best recording so far, “Until That Day”, has now been made a-side of their most recent 45 on Hey Girl. Get it directly from the Spanish label.
