Wiltz - The Nostalgia Tapes

I bet you weren't expecting another entry so soon, were you? (As the bishop said to the actress) However, here we are again. It's Tuesday and thegeneral is in a little bit of a lather over another wonderful release that came to her inbox this very morning. Never refuse an entry in your inbox, by the way, as refusal often offends.

So today I'm going to introduce you to a really exciting group that hail from Wicklow, called Wiltz. thegeneral became aware of them late last year, when they released a rather stonking split sided single with another excellent act called Facing (from Dublin if memory serves) which you can download and listen to here:

wiltz.bandcamp.com/album/wiltz-facing-split

It is very well worth a little listen.

Today sees the release of the band's full album, called, heartwarmingly, The Nostalgia Tapes. Before we go any further, here's where to get it from:

wiltz.bandcamp.com/album/the-nostalgia-tapes

It's a great, great listen. Simple as that. First and foremost it's from one of the most exciting new genres of music around at the moment, maths-pop/rock. If you're like me and you find beautifully intricate guitars that seem to sing to each other, interwoven with lulling bass and melodies that sound so complex -  but seem to get stuck in your head straight away, then you'll love this.

This is an album of instrumentals, which can sometimes put people off, but please don't be. There's a really nice mix of styles and sounds on here to keep you interested and engaged, from really rocky rhythms to gently ambling pieces which feel calming and have a nicely chilled out feel. Sometimes, the tracks effortlessly combine the two - swinging back and forth between alive and dreamlike. The contrast between fast and slow pacing within the tracks is nicely played out too and there isn't a single piece on here that doesn't grab you.

Standout tracks are, for thegeneral "C" and "Not Bad For Doin-a-deh", the latter being brilliantly chippy and engaging and incredibly catchy.

Please give Wiltz a listen, go to their bandcamp page and download their album - give generously, they deserve it.