High Hi - 'Calm Down Sir/ Tommy
Starting with bursts of machine-gun snare, choppy bass and commanding rhythm guitar, this largely instrumental track sneakily shape-shifts and changes gear in a way that suggests High Hi are soundtracking something. Its only at nearly 3 minutes into the lead tracks 4 minute run-time that any vocals appear. An ethereal repeated refrain carries the remainder of the song and the tempo slows down to an epic final headbang. Its an interesting choice for a lead track and very much suited to the Punk Fox labels output which still reminds me of Sub Pop in their ability to dig around on more challenging musical terrain and un-earth pop-like jewels. Tommy features a more traditional song structure but maintains a strong focus on dynamics established in the previous track. Building steadily over the first minute towards a stomping verse and chorus of fiery vocals, High Hi lurch into a loud-quiet-loud middle section, displaying a three-piece band of real substance and scope.
A very interesting and rewarding listen, they remind me of some of the greater bands from the indie-rock scene of the late 1980s/early 1990s, such as Ride and Lush. This is in my opinion the strongest release yet from a label thats been gaining momentum with each successive record. Rich Calm Down Sir/ Tommy is released on 7th September 2015 and available at all great independent record shops.
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