Novelty Island – Suddenly On Sea (2020)
With COVID-19 throwing normal summer holidays for a loop, Novelty Island wants you to join them on an imaginary vacation. Each track on Suddenly On Sea transports you to the surreal sunshine of dreamy summer holidays. Combining classic power-pop with wavering electronica, the EP is an intense psychedelic trip through the sights and sounds of Novelty Island.
The EP is a continuation of the settings of the Welcome to Novelty Island EP the band released earlier this year. If you are looking for some music that helps you leave reality behind, this is the EP you need.
The adventure starts with ‘Jaunty View’ and the track really sets the tone for the EP. It introduces you to the surf vibe of the EP and grabs you with this light beat. You can almost feel the summer sun on your face as a light breeze blows over you. The synths on this song have a happy and playful sound to them that make you want to go to Jaunty View. Lyrically, the track sets the scene amazingly and you can almost see Novelty Island.
‘Francesca Relax’ uses this interesting synth opening before you are introduced to Tom McConnell’s vocals. There is a haziness to his performance that adds to the surreal nature of the song. The instrumentation is wonderful on this song as it has this flowing and dancing melody. It reminds you of old movies where the characters are at a funfair. You can easily sway to this song as you relax into the melody.
The funfair style music continues on ‘The Desperately Strange’. The vocal performance on this song is airier than before, but there is something addictive about it. The melodic tone of the performance soars above the melody and draws you into the lyrics. Together, the vocals and melody make you want to go down to The Desperately Strange for a drink while on holiday. This is a very fun song to listen to and you could easily have it on repeat as it makes you smile.
‘Thoughts of the Fish Quay’ ramps up the psychedelic vibes. The song has this pace and melody that is both jaunty and soothing. There is something very surrealist about the song as it makes you think of undulating colours and drunken confusion. The synths take on a life of their own toward the end as the vocals start to echo. This is a very interesting song that has a lot going on.
The EP ends with ‘Suddenly On Sea’ which has this air of melancholy. It is a great way to end the EP because it is reminiscent of the emotions you have at the end of a holiday. The smooth vocals let you float to the melody and get wrapped up in the haziness of the song. There is a very dreamy vibe to this track and it softly lets you down after your journey to Novelty Island.
If you are missing the summer holidays, Suddenly On Sea by Novelty Island is here to take you on a surreal journey. Each track takes you to a different part of the fictitious island where you can have fun. The summery vibes mixed with funfair style tones take you away from reality and lets you forget everything for a while.
Find out more about Novelty Island on their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
