Indie-MP3

Cloudberry Records are better known for their 3" CDR releases but they have recently expanded into the 7" format. Wentworth/Ciao Ciao Bomb by Twig was the first and the second is from fellow Swedes The Bridal Shop.

In Violation is the follow up to last years Cloudberry CD EP and the recently reissued From Seas EP. It has that certain retro feel about it being a bit like the Bunnymen joining forces with New Order with Morrissey sharing vocals with Neil Tennant. It's epic, sweeping electronica mixed with the odd guitar.

Flip side Coming Real maintains the electronic sound albeit in a more laid back way with hushed female vocals running alongside an almost dancey beat. Nice.

In Violation is out now on Cloudberry Records. (Link)

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SquareGirl Marion

One thing that did manage to find it's way onto Skatterbrain recently was an announcement of the arrival of a new 7" from Swedish indiepop band The Bridal Shop, and the additional information that the A-side of that single "Violation" was streaming on their Myspace page, and that it was maybe the best thing this band had ever recorded. It took at the most 45 seconds of listening to the song to have me pulling up the Cloudberry Records page for more information. I don't believe that the track had even finished once through as I received a confirmation email from Paypal alerting me to the fact that my payment was initiated. The song is that good. It really is everything that a good indiepop dance track should be from the echo-y, atmospheric sound that kicks into a blast of drum machine and synths at the beginning, to the distant Morrisey-esque vocals, to the dramatic center where everything becomes almost still, to the part where it all kicks back in at full blast to level off neatly albeit abruptly at the end. Kind of like the soundtrack to a film that doesn't exist about dance clubs that don't exist where you perpetually expect to see someone grab their secret crush and kiss them in a highly dramatic fashion as a vivid technicolor light show explodes behind them. Yes, the track is that good. If you click here, the song should be the first thing that you hear. I highly recommend picking up the 7" from the afore mentioned Cloudberry page as well though. The B-side "Coming Real" is also exquisite.. (Link)

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