In the continuous flow of the existence between waves of euphoria and depression, optimism and uncertainty, for many of us, music is a faithful companion who, in addition to being an essential lifeline, punctuates, for better or for worse, important or not, moments that will remain etched in our memory forever.
Personally I very rarely approach a song in relation to my mood, indeed very often in contrast with it, consequently a damn and superb guitar-pop tune, rich of nostalgia and speaks to the heart, as the new single “Popping Candy”, from Leicester-based dream poppers Dayflower, does not clash at all with these uncertain times of forced seclusion, and a bit claustrophobic life.
The longstanding British quartet, since their debut 3-tracker in 2014 and confirmed by the scintillating long-awaited debut album “Honeyspun” at the start of last year, has always had a knack for writing emotional and elegant, electronic-infused, noise-pop tunes, joining the dots between guitar-rock, dream-pop, shoegaze and psychedelia, with the rare ability to surprise every time by adding new intriguing sonic hues and nuances, just like a visionary painter who knows how to dose with the right balance and finds endless combinations of colours, sometimes iridescent, others with shades of gray, but always absolutely enticing and utterly intoxicating.
“Popping Candy” is part of the homonymous 5-track EP that stands out, in its entirety, with as many amazing facets from the jangly choco-delic delight of “Twirlpro”, to the 90s US tinged raw, sonically abrasively melodic “Lips So Dry”, from the string-fueled lysergic bittersweet numb Flaming Lips-esque balladry of “Alive”, to the final sax-embellished, delicately soulful “Dance Dizzy”.
Beautifully encompassing the subtle contradiction between ween joking, carefree attitude and serious painful emotional strife, “Popping Candy” weaves an inebriated, perplexing yet invigorating mood, propelled by steady cymbal-charged drums after slightly noisy distorted sparkling guitar melodies that jangle, strum, and riff vigorously along with sinuously pulsing dense bassline and icy oscillating restless synth flourishes, whilst happy-go-lucky ooh woo hoo harmonies float merrily behind passionate and playful layers of shy male vocals, spiced by alluringly subtle female echoes, lost in nostalgic, brooding lyrics expressing youthful summer angst, intense emotional horizons, and unsettled yearnings yet to be satisfied.
In difficult periods, drowned in a sea of negativity, the beauty of a pop song always gives a subtle, but significant, glimpse of light.
Keep up with Dayflower:
Photographed by Miriam Bean.
