The whole shoegaze/dream-pop sound seems to be back in vogue, but rather than young musicians just revisiting past glories as sonic source material, those responsible for its resurgence seem to have found their way there by their own sonic paths, ones which may indeed loop through what has gone before but which travel via more modern pathways too. “Heartbeat,” the new one from Mannequin Flowers, is the perfect example of this new sonic seed blossoming in the still fertile soil of the old scene.
While Mannequin Flowers are open about their love of the likes of My Bloody Valentine and particularly Cocteau Twins, such established sonics are just one part of the musical mix. For every nod to such past bands, there are also lots of new sounds, coiling and jangling indie guitars, vocals equally at home in the shadow of such post-punk sounds as they are in alt-pop and even neo-soul settings, plus drifting and graceful sonics and emotive lyricism.
I’m sure that, as with all great music, this is, in part, a case of standing on the shoulders of giants. But while those past pioneers can create a fantastic platform from which Mannequin Flowers can use as a sonic launch pad, it is the potential and possibilities that they are high enough to reach from the rarefied air of such a vantage point that allows them to not only build their unique sound but also help lay down the foundations of a bright new future for this newly re-energized scene.
Website
Facebook
Spotify
Bandcamp
YouTube
