Formed in London via Australia and New Zealand,
Splashh rushed onto the scene with as much noise and bravado as their shoegaze-inspired debut,
Comfort, demands. Without so much as a rhythm section in place before their first booked show,
Splashh have come a long way in a short amount of time since they formed in the back end of 2012. From the outset they combined sun-drenched melodies and a sense of unhinged creativity, facets that are still evident on this release. Although the record is at times an assault on the ears -- sticking to the guitar noise ethos of '90s figureheads such as
My Bloody Valentine,
Ride, and the
Jesus and Mary Chain -- the four-piece still manage to inject the summery tones and melodies that "All I Want to Do" revels in. They bring together effects-laden, psychedelic guitar riffs with a minimalist sense of simplicity that leaves space for frontman Sasha Carlson's dreamy, reverbed vocals to swirl about the copious amounts of fuzz and distortion. Unafraid to experiment with their sound,
Splashh use synths and an array of effects not only on the bouncing guitars of "Vacation," but also heavily on the delayed vocals of the fuzz-rock of "Washed Up" or the Brit-pop influenced "So Young." With a sound that complements their lo-fi appeal,
Splashh manage to capture the raw energy and youthful exuberance that has encapsulated their live shows with." After such a quick, upward trajectory, the pitfalls of filler tracks are largely dodged here, although "Strange Fruit" and "Feels Like You" do get a little lost in the haze of feedback and distortion. Still, this is a strong body of work from the London-based group who have taken the best of '90s guitar music and made it their own. ~ Scott Kerr