EP Review: Sandflies

Otautahi’s Pool House make an early bid for the soundtrack to this summer, with their EP Sandflies. Coming on sounding fully formed, it’s clear that they’ve done the mahi to get to where they are, and this EP promises great things.

The title track opens proceedings, with a languid, surf-inflected intro that quickly opens up in to an expansive and lush celebration of innocence and open-mindedness. The sound is instantly appealing, while having sufficient complexity to reward repeated listening-the timeless verse/chorus quiet/loud dynamic well learned from so many 90’s bands.

Next track, Burning, bumps the pace up, with a persistent and driving riff, making for a hugely catchy combination. A definite Smiths influence on display here, but hopefully nobody’s going to devolve in to Morrissey’s old man shouting at clouds shtick!

Draw The Line, the third song, brings the surf music influence well to the fore, with its elaborate riffing, while the vocals call to mind Hello Sailor, among others from the fertile period in Aotearoa music that was the late 70’s through the early 80’s. A perfectly respectable set of influences to draw on!

Final song, Another Day (nothing to do with the Paul McCartney one!) continues the clear infatuation with Britpop, with a sound reminiscent of Blur, perhaps channeling the Smiths, over an almost pastoral intro. This builds nicely to a pacy meditation on the risk of letting time slip away unappreciated (“I don’t want to waste another day”), that also lives up to its own promise in the way it doesn’t outstay its welcome-says its piece and it’s gone!

Altogether, then, an effort well worth checking out on release day of 1 November (or any later, for that matter-but wouldn’t it feel good to be among the first?). Music that, while wearing its influences proudly, brings them together to create something new and interesting. Based on this I’d definitely be interested in seeing them live, should they ever make it as far as Te-Matau-a-Maui! But if they come near you, check them out, and give this a listen! A solid 4+/5