It took one listen to the pulsing future rock of "Estuary" to make me a fan of Virginia Wing. The London-based trio is making music that is currently drawing worthy comparisons to Stereolab and Broadcast and, for those of us who missed it a few months ago, it's now time to get the band's debut, Measures of Joy, in a "deluxe edition" courtesy of the fine folks at Fire Records.
The drum-heavy "World Contact" recalls Ladytron or Goldfrapp more than Stereolab. And that's another way of saying that this music is more spacious in a sense than one might expect from reading some other reviews of this band. Virginia Wing are taking risks here that don't always result in intensely catchy tracks but the risks do result in music that is haunting and memorable.
There's something decidedly old schoool electronica about "A Complex Outline" -- think early Depeche Mode mixed with Chris and Cosey. But the drums are killer here. And those beats are what set this band apart from others trying to do this sort of music.
On a track like "Juniper", things get difficult and the sounds seem to owe a heavy debt to the dense electronica of Fad Gadget when Tovey was on form. This is borderline experimental music anchored by vocals that keep things accessible. Impressive in so many ways, the sounds of Virginia Wing are unlike those of a dozen other bands these days. Adventurous listeners would be wise to get on-board with this trio as soon as possible.
Measures of Joy (Deluxe Edition) is out now via Fire Records.
Follow Virginia Wing on their official Facebook page.