Boys - Rest In Peace

Rating:

Detailed like a fine painting, this is an impressive LP.

Filled with a mixture of Scandic-Pop hallmarks and dreamy synths to whisk you off your feet, the debut album from 22-year-old Stockholm-based Boys - or Nora Karlsson as her parents call her when she’s in trouble - is one of the best things to come out of Sweden since the chef from The Muppets. Heady sounds echoing the top end of the current indie pop market abound as Boys flitters around from intimate singer-songwriter refrains to grand strings arrangements, via excursions which psyched-out synths that would have the almighty Focus nodding in approval.

‘End Of Time’ is a perfect example of Karlsson’s potential as she’s able to portray both a sense of vulnerability and musical genius in a track that brings a real peak to an already dominant release. Followed up by the freaky fantasy of ‘Love Isn’t On My Mind’ and radio-ready next single ‘That Weekend’, she shows off a real versatility while the hazy vocal effects act as the handy rope guiding you through the songs to let you know you’re definitely still on the right track. It never feels like there’s a rush or any urgency and yet you’re never quite sure the road the album will be taking, that essence of unpredictability making this far more interesting than your regular indie pop record.

If you’re into Alvvays and Sunflower Bean then this album should be so far up your street that you’d say hello to it when you crossed paths. There are plenty of delicate flourishes to keep your eye out for as Boys’ five years of songwriting experience before this release shines through. Detailed like a fine painting, this is an impressive LP that’ll do more for your joints than spending the best part of an hour in a sauna. Ciaran Steward