EP Review :: Flyying Colours - Flyying Colours

Flyying Colours

Flyying Colours

March 10 2014 (Club AC30)

6/10

Words: Leanne Crowley

Melbourne-based Flyying Colours have previously received attention on their recently completed Australian tour for their explosive live shows, setting them well apart from others occupying the ever-growing 90s-esque shoegaze scene.

Now comes their debut EP on the British label Club AC30. So how does this compare with the live experience? Well, opener ‘Like You Said' has a heavy guitar intro with the addition of jarring tambourines: the soft vocals almost lost within the overall noise produced, making them a minor player. The decreasing tempo to then build in the middle is an effective one; the minimalistic approach to the vocals emphasising the prowess of the guitar playing.

Previous single ‘Wavy Gravy' -  released in Australia last April -  has layers of sound and minor key distortions which distinguish the track. The addition of female vocals sends you back to the 90s' finest, with smacks of The Charlatans and Ride shining through strongly. This is without a doubt the strongest track on the EP and its positioning within ensures the listener stays for more.

‘She Leaves' has a stronger focus on the vocals and drums, with the screeching guitars taking a step back at the onset. The swirling vocals enchant, and the repetition of the guitar riff draws you in before the track draws to a sudden close. The title seems apt as this track does literally leave just as you become engrossed. The penultimate offering, ‘Feathers', with its chorus style jangle and lush, melodic vocals towards its conclusion, has the same feel as the rest of the EP, while the cool-down final track ‘Bugs' takes a slower tempo, with the focus again shifting to the vocals. Prominent guitar interventions ensure that the listener has come a full circle in the journey of this EP, with the shift in sound and style not altering the feel when taken as a whole.

A nostalgic journey which is short, but sweet - the whole work lasting just over seventeen minutes - but one which clearly defines that Flyying Colours are confident in their musical ability. The fact that this EP feels like it belongs with the greats of 90s shoegaze is a compliment to how the band interact with the music they are creating.