Feature Photo: George Abram
It’s been just over half a year since we were treated to Fed Up, the incredibly underrated full-length from London’s The Death of Pop. Suckling on a diet of shimmering synth icicles and finely tuned, jazzy interludes, the four-piece delivered a little wonder and a lot of sentiment within their mercurial sound. It’s with great anticipation that the group return, bringing with them a luminous gift in the form of new single ‘700 Spas’, another dose of glimmering, golden era-esque songwriting that focuses more intently on the groups’ penchant for diverse sounds.
Clambering harmonies re-introduce a group evidently on form, unafraid to take sudden turns within their formula as with each ambiguous phrase a different sense of mood is explored. A soft, cuddling chorus morphs from bright, nostalgic chords into meddling and sombre dwellings before shattering into beautiful, spectral arpeggios. Angus James’ quaint voice cuddles the track like a fleece, yet within explores something much more anxious and fretful. Considering the inability to communicate feelings and not being in control of life passing by you, James’ lyricism delivers incisively yet weaves itself within the dreamy state of the songs’ instrumentalism, making for a captivating balance of the tangible and the more unattainable feelings we experience.
‘700 Spas’ is taken from the group’s new EP – Heads West – which is available from March 16th via Leisure Records. Listen to the track below. TDOP play a free show at Shacklewell Arms on April 28th.