Issue 517

Ride Into The Sun Goodbye Hipster, Hello Reality Independent While making a nuisance of myself in the office recently, I was suddenly enchanted by some sublime psychedelic sounds wafting from the powerful dB speakers. "What is this fine music pouring forth from the dB phonograph?", I asked. "Why, it is the new EP from Adelaide's own Ride Into The Sun", responded Mercedes and Ryan in unison, "Here, take the CD to review and be-gone!" I can take a hint and so I duly be-went and have since given the splendidly titled 'Goodbye Hipster, Hello Reality' many repeated listens. I believe it is the debut EP from Ride Into The Sun, and a most impressive debut it is too. The five songs on offer owe a reasonably self-evident debt to the likes of The Jesus And Mary Chain and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, but further listens reveal traces of shoegazers such as Swervedriver and My Bloody Valentine. The restrained, almost disembodied vocals drifting languidly over a swirling maelstrom of fuzzed out guitars on opener New Sunday and Napoleon also bring to mind the more wigged out sounds of Sun Dial and Spiritualized. Elsewhere, Fool combines squalling guitars with trippy keys and effects to great effect. Save Yourself builds steadily and menacingly before exploding into a barrage of distortion and melody, while Detached is more restrained and conventional in song structure. This style of music can become repetitive, but on this EP at least, that is definitely not the case. It remains to be seen whether the quality evident on 'Goodbye Hipster, Hello Reality' can be sustained over future releases, but in the meantime we can enjoy another little gem produced right here in our own back yard. Hopefully there is plenty more to come. James McKenzie