Daylight

 

Last year Sean Dickson aka HiFi Sean and David McAlmont surprised with Heavy Ending a bunch of electronic pop beauties. Now they are rapidly back with another album and the next one is planed to release next winter. People say that the second album is more different if the first on is critical acclaimed. To avoid standing still and repeating themselves, both have developed their style further by incorporating elements of 90's house, synth-pop, gospel and soul into a sugary sweet sound. Above all, however, is McAlmont's soulful voice, which never makes a song seem boring. A good album on which they show that they are far more than just poor man's Pet Shop Boys.

2023 - This Year In Music Part II

 

Let's start this small review with a new band to me. Brown Spirits are from Melbourne, Australia and celebrate a fusion of krautrock and a d-i-y punk attitude with drums, bass and guitar/keyboard. They have learned by many but make a sound of their own. 

Bristol's Blue Aeroplanes also appeared with a sing of life and gave us with Culture Guns this year's trademark in jangly guitar sound. Seems like the songs work well live as well.

Belle and Sebastian, one of Glasgow's pop-bands released Late Developers, another album by them that is very good and full of great songs with hooks. Seems like they are very close to a perfect pop/rock song 

It seems like Julian Cope has too many ideas in his mind to release them all on vinyl. This year he surprised us with Robin Hood another album full of weird ideas. But after all he made another great record (if only the ones which are huge fans). 

HiFi Sean and David McAlmont finished their long time collaboration this year with their first album Happy Endings. And the title is programm: they collect a lot of influences and create their own space. An album full of great songs often added with strings but never overproduced. An album I came back from time to time with joy.

Happy Endings

 

A few weeks ago Scottish producer and musician Sean Dickinson aka HiFi Sean released his first album with his longer time collaboration with British singer David McAlmont Happy Ending. I got this album when it was released, listened once and forgot about it. During the last days I rediscovered this album and listened a few times to it and I have to admit that it grows the more I listen to it. I enjoy their music whatever the musical press would say. It is an album that I will call timeless because this songs were far away from any popular genres today. Songs that lives because of McAlmont's mighty and also easy voice, well arranged with orchestra and strings. Sometimes it remembers me on the music Marc Almont did ages ago and Kevin Rowland would be proud to sing. A little highlight this year so far.