Deary EP

When a duo is formed during pandemic shutdowns in the early 2020s and then quickly recruited by tastemaker shoegaze label Sonic Cathedral, which handles the release of their 2022 debut single, it may be appropriate to expect something noteworthy. Londons deary proves this assumption to be a correct one with their six-song debut EP, also called deary. It includes the aforementioned single, "Fairground," which folds nostalgic lyrics and a skittering breakbeat into a yearning, echo-drenched dream pop. Formed by a singer/guitarist identified only as "Dottie," who connected online with producer/multi-instrumentalist Ben Easton over shared interests including a love of Cocteau Twins Elizabeth Fraser, the band fill out the EP with a relatively diverse set of equally worthy songs. Its a selection that spans hissing, striding shoegaze ("Heaven") and a spare, quasi-acoustic, irresistibly sweet love song ("Want You"). Although the latter is drums-free, some of the tracks here include live drums by Sammy Lynne, who also plays keyboards and 12-string guitar on select songs. The EP, which was produced by Easton, closes on the darker, Disintegration-era-Cure-evoking "Beauty in All Blue Satin," a song whose lyrics may be unintelligible for the most part, but which, like many of the songs here, clearly conveys its aching emotions. All told, Dottie and Ben may not do anything groundbreaking here, but what they do with multiple decades of targeted influences, they do exceptionally well, resulting in an auspicious mix of blurry dissonance, beguiling harmonics, only slightly submerged grooves, and tightly clenched torches. [The CD edition includes a bonus song and four additional versions of "Fairground," including a remix by Saint Etienne and Augustin Bousfield.] ~ Marcy Donelson