A striking, engaging alt-pop indie debut by the Edinburgh five-piece with songs dealing with dark subjects from heartbreak to alcoholism, dead-end job to mental health issues, but with a running theme of seeking the brighter side with a title that means “don’t cry” in Scottish slang. Frontman Robin Herbert cites all of these issues as coming from personal experience, some of which written as a teenager, and is joined in the band by brother Danny, Andrew Turnbull on drums, Robbie White on bass, and Alice Hancock on synths and backing vocals. It’s quirky, honest alt-pop, conversational and synthy, particularly the opening title track. That’s a particular highlight but others include Just Trying To Relax, an inner dialogue expressing struggles with mental health issues, but again trying to keep positive in line with a perky drumbeat with sprightly synths. Nothing Bad Will Ever To Me describes the drudgery of a factory job and coming up for air on your days off, as also with 5 Days Til the Weekend. Ravvy has an engaging riff – a song about teenage misadventure in reference to a cliff in Edinburgh and references sites and sounds of the city on a night out, from bouncers to bars. Congratulations For Getting Off The Drink has an ironic double-edge to it with a riff reminiscent of an old ringtone. Overall this is candid, fresh, vibrant experimental pop, exploring youthful difficulties in a quirky, original debut, ending with the excellent, upbeat closing track Yaldi. Out on Post Electric.
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