James Wells
Kids Love Surf’s fourth single finds them continue the dreamy shoegaze trajectory of ‘OYO and ‘Moment’, but takes a more overtly electro / pop approach, with a crisp 80s disco drum beat. The chiming guitars may hark back to late 80s / early 90s Cure via vintage shoegaze, but the vocals – bathed in reverb and sculpted with a hint of autotune are clear and soulful, and very much to the fore against the blurred swirl of ambient synths that create a wash of sound.
It’s all pinned together with a nagging bassline that’s integral to the song keeping its shape. As a production work, it’s smooth, and it’s deft: with a solid and definite structure, the catchy chorus is distinct but slows effortlessly. At just three minutes and a half minutes long, it’s succinct – to the point that it makes you want to hit repeat straight away.
Aural Aggravation 