Neon Waltz
Strange Hymns

In a world, that of guitar bands made in UK, in dramatic crisis, these six guys from the Scottish Highlands emerge with pleasure with an at times surprising album.

"Strange Hymns", the debut album by Neon Waltz, is indeed a record not without flaws but where the originality of the group emerges. In their best moments, they remind of the Kinks' "The Village Green Preservation Society", and in the more banal ones, the simple Kooks. But the potential is there and it is evident.

For the moment, we satisfy ourselves, so to speak, with 35 minutes of very enjoyable music, suspended between indie pop and psychedelic folk, among which it is worth highlighting the excellent opening track "Sundial", the most radio-friendly "Dreamers", the anthemica "You & Me", and the more energetic and dark "Heavy Heartless". The whole is guided by the powerful voice of the leader Jordan Shearer, who manages to give an epic quality to every single track of this collection.

Noel Gallagher and the Coral, who praised the group's qualities openly in unsuspecting times, were absolutely right.