Mix #21: Shy Nature • Neu • DIY Magazine

London group Shy Nature make anthems. And they’re not afraid to state it. It’s refreshing to see a band rushing out with sounds destined for arenas, who at the same time couldn’t give a toss about whichever snobs might end up turning their heads as soon as the group start going places. It seems to come naturally, too. Towing a line between Mystery Jets-style rejoice and some hybrid of Editors, Bloc Party and other giants, there’s no chin-stroking here, just arms-aloft grandeur.

Their mix for DIY Weekly is a bringing together of other bands who sway between hugeness and intelligence. From Neu favourite The Orwells’ bored-youth declarations to White Denim’s gritty ‘Shake Shake Shake’, these are songs that go big without necessarily trying. If it’s a rulebook for any band who want to go places without being a self-conscious bunch, this mix is pretty much essential.

Tracklist:

1. Neutral Milk Hotel – King of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 1
2. The Go-Betweens – Streets of Your Town
3. White Denim – Shake Shake Shake
4. Joe Jackson – Is She Really Going Out With Him
5. The Orwells – Other Voices
6. The Walkmen – We Can’t Be Beat
7. The Toms – You Must Have Crossed My Mind
8. St. Vincent – The Strangers
9. Morrissey – Everyday Is Like Sunday
10. Steely Dan – Any Major Dude Will Tell You
11. The Shins – Australia
12. Prefab Sprout – The King of Rock ‘N Roll
13. Womack & Womack – Teardrops