:: Stewart & Melville - You Are Real

Stewart & Melville

More than just a pleasant downtempo, psychedelic-chilled set of tracks here. These guys, having moved the move from New Zealand to Sydney, bring various influences into a pretty decent album. They filter various 60s and 90s sounds into a tasty lush of isolated messages. A look at the song titles indicates that they are keen to spread their wares into various secluded territories and give the listener something to think about. Take interest in “Eliza’s Dream”, “Lost In Space”, and “Airport Lounge” to gauge their dreamy pop leanings. Stewart and Melville combine very cohesively in the instrumentation (including the vocoder) and arrangements to bring sounds from orchestral-based to subtle melodies. One exceptional moment is “Dial L”, a beautifully arranged guitar-strings dominated ballad. I hadn’t heard their “Scenes” EP from last year, but this album draws particular charm and confidence. It’s quite a rare feat for an Australasian outfit to absorb all the influences of days gone by and submit this range of musical delicacies. The distinctive style comes across effectively and it’s always a pleasant surprise to listen to something new and invigorating.