Shinies - Nothing Like Something Happen Anywhere

The intro track to Shinies debut LP is full of promise. As the background noise steadily rises, overlaid with echoing guitars, there is a natural anticipation of the climax, the varied sounds of the album ahead. The subsequent title track, packed with fuzzy, phased guitars, establishes the form for the rest of the album. Wrapping the Millennial generation’s woes in a drippy cloud of feedback, things unfortunately end up sounding samey. MJ of Hookworms has taken the production reigns, as on their ‘Tangle’ EP, so it bears his recognisable imprint. The unique brilliance of ‘Tangle’’s high points though (‘Taste’, ‘Plasticine’), have been surrendered for a homogenous sound that leaves one wondering where one track ends and the next begins.

‘de C’ and ‘6’s & 7’s’ are notable exceptions. The driving guitar lines in ‘de C’ propel it along satisfyingly, while the space given to the instrumental parts is a precious, rare feature in N.L.S.H.A. ‘6’s & 7’s’ brings things into a slightly sharper focus again, a calmness that doesn’t discredit their sound, but brings it into a more appreciable relief. Contrast this with the meandering sonic experiment that is ‘Soak’, which sounds like the band left their instruments reverberating in the booth, and it’s a shame there aren’t more like it.The fuzzy, lo fi sound paired with the subject matter of the album is a mismatch. This record is an ode to the working week, the malaise of the twenty-something. Lines like “have you got a case of the zero hour contract blues” make that plain enough, but it just comes off as gloomy. Blending these sentiments with a steady, hazy monotone, it just brings you down. They’re capable of writing great songs, but this album is not the showcase hoped for.