Strange Waves V at The Ritz
Johnny James, Managing Editor
Now Wave and Strange Days present a jam-packed line up some of the most hyped bands of the moment, spilling across both floors of The Ritz on 1 April.
Headlining are South London’s Dry Cleaning who, since releasing their debut album New Long Leg on 4AD last year, have continued to win huge acclaim for their surreal yet relatable snapshots of everyday neurosis, which speak-singer Flo Shaw delivers over a minimalist backdrop of post punk and new wave pop. Indie pop trio Sunflower Bean join them. Hailing from New York, the band are about to drop their long-awaited third album, Headful of Sugar, which navigates the ecstasy and agony of contemporary American life.
Perhaps splitting the difference between Dry Cleaning and Sunflower Bean are freewheeling freakpop duo, Audiobooks. Their latest album, Astro Tough, is a trip into the singular minds of its creators, David Wrench and Evangeline Ling, whose chaotic energy and inherent weirdness is totally arresting, especially live. From unsettling, clubby bangers about little girls losing dolls to full-blown hedonistic pop songs that chart the stages of unhinged nights out, their tunes sound like no-one else’s.
Another draw is Danish five-piece Iceage, whose latest album Seek Shelter was among Pitchfork’s Best New Music, while W.H. Lung are strongly tipped by local tastemakers Piccadilly Records, who voted their debut album the best of 2019. The Band’s sophomore album, Vanities, trades krauty synth pop for potent dancefloor fillers, made as much for the club as the stage. What else? Speedy Wunderground faves The Lounge Society and Honeyglaze, plus Prima Queen and Melts – a pretty massive line-up, that comes with a pretty measly price tag: £25. You’d be an April fool to miss this one.
