By Alex Salisbury
Falmouth-based LIPS have had quite a year, from playing their debut show at Redfest in May, they quickly featured on Radio 6 Music, were signed up by Sunday Records and have played a swathe of festivals with a ton more booked in for 2019.
They burst onto the scene last summer with debut single ‘Apartment’, which I had on pretty much solid repeat during the hot and humid months of 2018. It was a perfect slice of catchy shoegaze infused janglepop and they’ve just hit us with another sunny seasonal banger with latest single ‘In Summer’.
Everything in LIPS’ music just feels nice and warm, a welcome and safe place to remain and just let the sound flow over you and ‘In Summer’ is more of the same. The drums and bass are solid, but aren’t invasive and provide a perfect backdrop to give the jangly, floaty guitar time to really shine, making it possibly the real instrumental star on this cut.
All capped off with the wonderful enchanting and ethereal vocals of Rachel Anstis, which dance effortlessly throughout this track, they open the song bathed in effects, before we get to hear the clean, natural beauty of her voice during the verse. If you’ve ever seen LIPS, or any other band Rachel has been part of, you know of the power, tone and unbridled natural ability she wields.
Again, ‘In Summer’ is going to go straight into my heavy rotation and I can already envisage it playing in the background at beach BBQ’s, house parties and late-night bars during these close summer months. And, until we get that debut full-length release from this talented four-piece, I’ll be more than happy spending plenty of time with this song.
Listen to ‘In Summer’ here: