Flash Fiktion - Flash Fiktion

After a string of promising single releases, the much touted South London trio unleash their self titled debut. Like turning up for that make or break interview, first impressions count and opener ‘Me And Mr E’ hits the right notes with it’s jaunty upbeat vibe, pharmaceutical undertones and beats that make you want to air drum in public without a care in the world. Whilst the quality benchmark is consistently hight throughout, the middle salvo of tracks are where things start to get interesting. ‘Artificial Colours’ is a heady rush of euphoric electro, it’s tales of ‘building heaven out of love’ shaking your hand and begging you to come hither to the dance-floor. Just when you think you’ve got this band figured out they throw up the delicious ‘Leni’, a blink and you miss it curveball of sleazy guitar pop with shards of Graham Coxon in it’s chorus and lustful angst. Last of the trio is the exotically titled ‘Mo’ Ping Pong’ which transports the listener to an all together other world with it’s tropical rhythms and acerbic wit.

It’s not all radio friendly anthems by any stretch as the sprawling ‘176’ demonstrates a keen ear for fusing psychedelia and stadium rock with ELO aching power pop. Proceedings conclude on a high with the sub three minute ‘Tomorrow’s Girl’, a lean distillation of everything that has gone before it with yet more clever wordplay (‘they’re building a room for their future avatars’) There are a few minor blemishes here and there, the gentle Muse like electro glam of ‘The Rapture Of Your Design’ should have been curtailed upon reaching it’s natural ending whilst ‘Nautical Girl’ overstays it’s welcome. The only real filler here is the dreamy but aimless ‘Science Of Sleep’ which for the most part struggles to pull itself out of first gear.

What makes this band stand out from their peers is a natural gift for combining deft couplets with catchy hooks and slinky grooves to create a collection of songs you’ll be itching to hit repeat on. Their love of cowbells may be shared by others but Flash Fiktion have crafted an intelligent and original feel good record that will burst away those emotional cobwebs.