Deep Cut - Disorientiation

Deep Cut’s sophomore effort ‘Disorientation’ is not only an album that wears its influences on its sleeve, but one that thoroughly believes it belongs with the legends of each era it attempts to imitate. The hazy production and faint female vocals could prompt a record with a certain je ne sais quoi, but unfortunately here they fall rather flat: this is truly a band that has over-exceeded the pastiche of grunge / psych rock, whilst offering very little new.

With simplistic drums and rapid tambourine reminiscent of The Stone Roses, vocals with the attitude of Oasis, and guitars as fuzzy as The Jesus And Mary Chain, there’s a profound theme of déjà vu running throughout. The only exception to a largely predictable album is ‘Magazine’, which sounds like a bonus track from a 90s Ibiza chill out compilation with icy echoing vocals, fun percussion and a repeated guitar riff as Emma Bailey reiterates: ‘I saw your picture in a magazine.’

Although the general gist of Deep Cut is that they sound like they could’ve been on the cover of Melody Maker at some point, there’s no improvement on what previous artists have already accomplished. ‘Disorientation’ is good as far as copying the past goes, but it’s more background music than something you’d actively listen to.