I'm absolutely thrilled to report that there's new Seablite music in the world. And the video's not too shabby either!
"Melancholy Molly" is the band's first single from their upcoming album, Lemon Lights. That one, recorded by Mark Gardener of Ride, will be out on September 29 and you can order it here. There's a definite "Sweetness and Light"-vibe to this taster, and not only the hooks. The video nods in the direction of a couple of Lush efforts too, and I think the band would be happy with that point of comparison.
Lauren Matsui (vocals / guitar) and Galine Tumasyan (vocals / bass) use their harmonies to great effect here, and the tune is more intricate and still gloriously poppy than one might expect from a group who frequently earns a "shoegaze" tag. I think Seablite are really doing something special here, with the riffs and production elements adding layers and layers to the sound of this new 2023 single. This is a case where the reductive "shoegaze" label would be an insult, a flip dismissal of something complex. "Melancholy Molly" chimes and unfurls with an elegance that is sort of breathtaking. The work of Jen Mundy (ex-Wax Idols) on second guitar and Andy Pastalaniec (Chime School) on drums deserves praise too. There's not a single piece of this that isn't exactly what I was hoping this band would offer up next. And now they have, and we just have to wait for Lemon Lights late next month.
More details on Seablite here. Order Lemon Lights here.
[Photo: Seablite]