Beequeen - Sandancing [Important Records - 2008]This is my first taste of Beequeen’s quirky cocktail of pop, electroncia, indie guitar strum and female vocals. And I’ll have to say I’m quite taken by the tuneful, lazy and often bizarre air that purveys Sandancing’s sonic Canyon's. You see they manage the difficult and almost perfect balance between been approachable, yet odd and quietly daring and adventurous. Each track seemingly been it's own perfectly formed sonic adventure. The track breathe takes in harmonic guitar wonders that drift from guitar pop to Hawaiian tinged sadness, with a crackled and static beat base, which is all simmered over by Olga Wallis warm more passioned Nico like voice. Eddie Three takes an American females earnest and smoky voice talking about love and relationships, cuts it up and reshuffles it in bizarre yet appealing manner over a backing of slow strolling & edgy electro beats, bass and atmospheric guitar wonderings. The maypole takes us on merry-go-round ride of music box tuneful-ness, playful electronics, clown car horn and children’s playful tones. With cheeky male and female sing song singing over the top - feeling like a bizarre sweet lined acid tinged dream. The album slips by at such an effortless and pleasing manner, you’ll find it’ll be over much too soon and you’ll want to play it once more. Each and every track though seemingly lazy and dreamy is constructed with a really craftsmans ear mixing often subtle but clever placed electronics, sounds and dialogue to make them rewarding on repeated plays. Grown up and intelligent pop music with an always inventive heart beating somewhere in the mix. Roger Batty
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