Showing a beguiling art-rock sound with nostalgic post-punk glimpses, Magenta is the stellar sophomore EP from West Wickhams, the duo of Jon Othello and Elle Flores.
Recently relocated to Richmond, Surrey, West Wickhams are originally from the English island of Tresco, on the Isles of Scilly. The EP takes inspiration from the color in its namesake, described as “the colour of universal harmony and emotional balance.”
The opening “Swear Above Suspicion” crafts a memorably hypnotic appeal. Jangly guitars weave alongside murmured vocal nonchalance, as a pulsing bass-driven momentum emerges past the one-minute mark. I’m fondly reminded of Wire’s atmospheric punk delights, particularly on the 1978 classic Chairs Missing.
The fantastic “Masculin Féminin Hot Jump” blends wintry keys and jangly guitars with melodic precision, pairing with working-class lyricism reminding of The Jam. The “mystery,” refrain dazzles as backing vocals and glistening keys converge with replay-inducing effect. The Magenta EP is full of similarly intriguing heights.
Look for the band on tour throughout 2023, including a July 7th slot at Peak Cavern supporting The Chameleons.
Check out the nostalgic music video for “Swear Above Suspicion”:
We discovered this release via MusoSoup. The submitter accepted our content-based offer, which included financial compensation for our time writing, editing, and publishing this article.
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“Swear Above Suspicion” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of January 2023’ Spotify playlist.
