Honestly, I’m not crazy about this type of sound, but after listening to this EP all the way through, I see no reason not to include it in the #zot2017 showcase, especially because the overall quality doesn’t seem mediocre to me (but de gustibus).

Hater - Red Blinders EP (Fire Records, December 01, 2017)

New release from Fire Records by this quartet from Malmö, who previously released their first LP "You Tried" in 2016. This EP is called "Red Blinders" and is made up of four songs balancing between indie-pop and shoegaze, with nods to more classic and vintage sounds. Right from the first song, we can recognize a certain pop attitude typical of the seventies. "Blushing" (the first single released by the band on Fire Records) definitely recalls the historic hit "The Year of the Cat" by Al Stewart and is certainly the most interesting song of the bunch. "Rest" and "Red Blinders" have more delicate tones typical of what is now called dreampop. The sound of "Penthouse" is a bit heavier, inspired by The Smiths, and surely brings back sounds from the eighties. It seems there’s a lot going on in this EP, but honestly, it’s nothing astounding or exceptional: just a group with a good taste for catchy, nostalgic pop sounds. That’s how it is. If you think otherwise.

Hater - Blushing

#shoegaze #indie #dreampop