Speedy Wunderground are now onto their fourth release, having already put out some sterling material from Emilíana Torrini, Steve Mason, TOY, Archie Bronson Outfit and Bat For Lashes. For the latest limited run 7", label commander Dan Carey installed his band Scotti Brains into his Streatham studio for this ace track, ‘Keep Your Eyes Open Boy’.
It’s a more smoothed-out cut than their previous output, which distilled the frayed-edge noise-psych of Bunny Brains, the San Francisco band that give them half their name (the ‘Scotti’ part is in homage to Carey’s cat), foundered around a gently motoring beat and sun-dappled guitars. Similarly to the label’s first release, the Editors’ Picks-chosen Torrini and Mason collab ‘I Go Out’, it’s a two-parter, with the studio’s notorious Swarmatron rearing up in the second half, possibly responsible for the kaleidoscopic sonics that seep in. It’s also got a brace of fractured vocals submerged below the surface, one being singer Beth Buxton’s, recorded over the phone owing to her and fellow band member Oli Bayston having temporarily split up at the time the track was done, as well as a snatch of a conversation retrieved from a tape found in a 50s recorder Carey had picked up from the Streatham High Road Oxfam – have a listen below:
‘Keep Your Eyes Open Boy’ is out on September 2; head to Speedy Wunderground’s website to get hold of a copy and read out interview with Carey about the label here.
