By Lewis Edwards
London indie rockers Bengal Lancers deliver their latest single ‘The Shakes’ with all the bombast you’d expect of a band so influenced by the likes of Bombay Bicycle Club and Two Door Cinema Club. The quartet’s obvious affinity towards the ever-shifting indie scene around the last turn of the decade reveals itself here in the form of a delightfully-slick and infectious offering.
The band’s sense of structure carries this single, and as the song progresses it marches forward with intent, Harry Sullivan’s earnest vocals crooning atop twinkly guitar lines and a punchy, post-punk-inspired drum pattern. The band demonstrates a great sense of pacing as each section flows into the next, with the relentless bass guitar helping to propel the song forward. The percussion and vocals gradually flourish from their austere patterns in the opening to more colourful and vibrant arrangements towards the song’s finale, where a soaring guitar lead in the final few seconds imbues the listener with a spirited farewell.
Listen to ‘The Shakes’ here: