Last year was a good one for Slumberland Records. For an imprint famous for shoegaze and jangle-pop acts, the releases of 2024 were all ones which successfully advanced the form, and brought lots of pleasure to fans of the genres. However, here in 2025, the first big offering from the label is one which is going to earn more comparisons to The Cure than to C86.
The grinding "Atrophy" opens this record, flashes of The Connells in the twists and turns of the American take on British alternative, while the brighter "He Never Finished the Thought" echoes Kitchens of Distinction. The Laughing Chimes favor big guitar hooks but don't seem as beholden to the same influences that powered the aspirations of lots of the better known acts on SLR. While "High Beams" seems to owe a debt to early Wild Swans, the rougher "Fluorescent Minds" nods in the direction of JAMC and Chameleons.
While I've referenced a few clear points of inspiration, it's worth reminding that Evan Seurkamp (guitar, vocals), Quinn Seurkamp (drums), Avery Bookman (bass), and Ella Franks (guitar, keys) pour a lot of soul into this material, enough that the tunes feel complex and earnest on their own terms, even as they should make older listeners recall some favorites in their own record cabinets. What's refreshing here is how the guitar hooks are blended with a diversity of styles, such that while "Mudhouse Mansion" chimes like early Felt, "A Promise to Keep" churns like Bauhaus. What makes Whispers in the Speech Machine such a fun record is in how it serves up pleasures familiar to anyone who's followed other groups on Slumberland, only to upset expectations in a grand way throughout each wonderfully ornate cut.
Whispers in the Speech Machine by The Laughing Chimes is out this week via Slumberland Records. Details below.
[Photo: Slumberland Records]