The music of UK duo Memorials recalls that of the bands these two musicians were in earlier. Verity Susman did time in Electrelane, while Matthew Simms was in a line-up of Wire. The stuff on Memorial Waterslides, their Fire Records release, is suitably in debt to both of those acts, as well as a few others.
"Lamplighter", a highlight here, echoes both Stereolab and Ladytron, while "Acceptable Experience" is one of many tracks that seems to draw inspiration from not only Wire, but Kraftwerk. Still, for the pieces which suggest New Wave pioneers, there are a few which dive even further back. The ruminative "Name Me" is borderline Can-esque, while the more ambient "The Politics of Whatever" succeeds in imagining a blend of instrumental Eno and pre-Dark Side Floyd.
Memorials strive to make this distinctive, and while it's not entirely that, it is supremely listenable stuff. While the ones that nod in the direction of Stereolab are likely the tracks to end up on playlists, there's lots to admire about the moments where Memorials head in entirely other directions. The influence of Seventies art rock looms large over some of this, and those are the selections I'd highlight to a newcomer to the work of Memorials.
Memorial Waterslides by Memorials is out now via Fire Records.
[Photo: Holly Whitaker]