The Thousands

Where their EP showcased an off-the-cuff looseness and a near-enough-is-good-enough attitude, Songs’ self-titled debut album is a study in (relative) discipline, with thoroughly explored song structures and deftly crafted soundscapes.

These are songs that have been broken down and rebuilt numerous times. Yet this more involved approach to song writing has done nothing to lessen the immediacy of the music. From the drug-addled romp of the opening track ‘Farmacy’ to the deadpan come-on Kraut of closer ‘My Number’, Songs have written an album that pulls and teases attention out of every strum, every drone; out of every snare pop, every unhurried utterance.**This album is not demanding that you pay attention to it though. It feels casual in its form and its function. It exists autonomously. An island cast adrift without any pomp or ceremony, washes of dark and light surfacing and submerging in its wake. This understated attitude shouldn’t fool you though, as this is one of the most stunning releases of the year.