If Brian Wilson could operate a laptop...or Pink Floyd were young and skint in 2009……or Wayne Coyne was Scottish….or Grandaddy came from a land of drizzle…or Sigur Ros cracked a smile from time to time…or…we could go on.
Because this is the sounds of straws being clutched as we struggle to find the perfect epithet to describe the sound of North Atlantic Oscillation. ‘Colourful’, ‘crepuscular’ and ‘expansive’ are three that spring to mind, but even they don’t quite do this Edinburgh-based three-piece’s sound justice.
The debut album, Grappling Hooks, is due for release in 2010, in the meantime though comes an introductory EP ‘Callsigns’ featuring two album tracks, a remix by label-mates Engineers and an ethereal cover version of classic do-wop song, ‘I Only Have Eyes For You’, first made famous in the 1959 by The Flamingos.
It sounds nothing like you expect it to. But then that’s exactly what makes North Atlantic Oscillation so beguiling, intriguing and fascinating – there’s a surprise around every corner. Are you ready?
Click HERE to order your copy from the Kscope store
or here to download digital versions
Reviews for Callsigns:
“For a band with little or no hype about them, it is truly special to hear NAO at this early stage in their career; the potential is frightening with songs like ‘Star Chamber’ and ‘Drawing Maps from Memory’ showcasing their talent and obvious knowledge of music. From The Beach Boys to Jeff Wayne’s ‘War of the Worlds’ to Radiohead to The Beta Band, they are a music enthusiast’s wet dream who have more ideas in a half hour set than some bands could come up with in an entire career. For two guys they have a mighty sound, albeit with the aid of a laptop, and really take some of their songs to sonic heights, all the while managing to sound experimental while retaining the basis of song and a melody. If ever the phrase ‘Ones to watch’ applied, it is stamped all over these guys.”
(4/5 stars) - John Paul Mason
“Delightfully shiny tunes” Music Week
“An astonishing amalgam of Flaming Lips and Grandaddy indie-pop sensibilities with a bewildering vista of sound sweeping ahead of the listener ... Acid-addled, silver-caped prog genius.”
(5/5 stars) - Stuart McHugh, Is This Music?
"...the Callsigns EP is so mind-bendingly different to what’s currently dominating various scenes that you can’t help but take notice. The band has somehow managed to lasso elements of Minus The Bear, put it in a room with a little slice of White Belt Yellow Tag, and forced the two to mate round the clock until an army of space age, keyboard wielding babies has been produced.
Put simply, you need this EP."
Artrocker
"Scotland’s cadavers of the underground are just on the point of breaking and this EP can only help their cause. Rubbing huge distorted rock explosions with the kind of subtle nuance we expect of Wild Beasts or loved from the Beta Band their passage to the next level is assured. Some journos have been frivolously throwing around accusations that they are ‘Scotland’s Animal Collective’ which seems a heavy albatross to strum with but their mix of electronics and an indie aesthetic is as refreshing as we can find."
Clash Music
"It sounds nothing like you expect it to. But then that’s exactly what makes North Atlantic Oscillation so beguiling, intriguing and fascinating – there’s a surprise around every corner. Are you ready? "
glasswerk.co.uk
"The entire E.P seem a near perfect amalgamation of digital sounds and live instrumentation, something Radiohead might have strived for if they had only eaten a nice meal and maybe played with a bouncy ball in the sunshine occasionally."
skiddle.com
"Cell Count and Ceiling poem have an abundance of swirling synths, heavy beats and visceral guitas leaving them caught somewhere between the Trip-Hop pyshcadelica of The Beta Band and the space adventures of Fuck Buttons piloted by Wayne Coyne. North Atlantic Oscillation seem set on creating the musical equivilant of their name in all it’s otherwordly splendour"
addictmusic
