Hailing from the northernmost tip of mainland Scotland, indie sextet
Neon Waltz first attracted U.K. press attention in 2014 on the strength of a demo for their song "Sombre Fayre," a soaring amalgam of folk melody, psychedelic flair, and Brit-pop muscle. In the three years that followed, the young group of friends endured the peaks and valleys of early acclaim and long processes, winning a major-label deal with Atlantic before falling victim to the industry's uglier side and eventually bowing back out. Reclaiming their independence and celebrating their geographical remoteness,
Neon Waltz finally deliver their full-length debut in 2017's
Strange Hymns. The ten-track LP includes all of the singles released during their Atlantic tenure, including more robust versions of demo faves "Sombre Fayre" and "Bare Wood Aisles." Their richly reverbed tonal palette and melodic guitar-and-organ style recalls other '60s-indebted U.K. forebears from
the Coral to
the Stone Roses, yet there is still something of a wide-eyed innocence to
Neon Waltz's approach that likely stems from their insular past. Having been the only aspiring rock act in a remote and rural region, they never developed the swagger a more urban band uses to fend off competitors and stimulate jaded audiences. Infused in tracks like "Sundial" and the optimistic "Dreamers" is an impression of water, stone, wind, and ancient landscapes.
Neon Waltz pair the rock history of their parents' record collections with the windswept influence of their rugged native land, and the earnest nature of the results is refreshingly more in keeping with artists like
Stornoway than with
Noel Gallagher, who was one of their early champions. With
Strange Hymns, they've made a powerful opening statement that feels honest and authentic. ~ Timothy Monger