The Hi-Life Companion: The girl in the gorilla suit (from Say Yes!, 2010)

The Hi-Life Companion: Say Yes! (2010)

The Hi-Life Companion es la típica banda simpática y algo oscura que a todo buen aficionado al Indie le encanta y la tiene como referencia puntera en su iPhone. Colectivo formado por antiguos miembros de The Mayfields y Airport Girl, son algo así como la banda perfecta para el Indietracks. Los diez temas de su disco de debut ya eran muchos conocidos por internet y por otras vías, pero no por ello han perdido ni un ápice de frescura, y merecen estar, como dije antes, en el reproductor portátil de Mp3 de cualquier buen aficionado. Su Pop de plastilina (Night comes down) está perfectamente interpretado, con pocas tomas, reflejo del Lo-Fi y de Pavement, una de sus bandas de referencia (You´re the greatest). Sus influencias pueden tomarse desde el Lo-Fi hasta el Pop de Belle and Sebastian (The girl in the gorilla suit), pasando por el C-86 que personalmente pienso que es donde se desenvuelven más a gusto (One man team, Times table), o la onda más melódica de los Beach Boys (Lay your head down), tocando también la fibra sensible de Jonathan Ritchman o Gene Clark (Lay your head down, Fifty thousand acres of wide open space, Say yes). Un disco más que recomendable que nos recuerda que algo en el Reino Unido está volviendo a moverse -o no había nunca dejado de hacerlo…-.

The Hi-Life Companion – Say Yes! (2010)

“The Hi-Life Companion are a Bristol indiepop band based around brothers Matt and Jon Troy. Driven by a sheer love of pop the band have perfecting a sound influenced by the diverse likes of The Beach Boys, Jonathan Richman, Pavement, The Velvet Underground and Felt. The band have also featured heavily on radio stations across Europe and the USA.
The Hi-Life Companion released a 3-track single through Cloudberry Records on September 1st 2008 — this quickly sold out. Songs have also featured on a number of compilations including releases on Weepop!, Series Two and Eardrums. The band have received extensive radio play including Colin Murray on Radio 1, Tom Robinson on Radio 6 and Tom Ravenscroft, Channel 4 Radio.
‘Say Yes’, The Hi-Life Companion’s debut album has been mixed by Rob Price from Airport Girl and will be released later this year on Plastilina Records. Tracks from the album are available for download now!
“…Think of the most perfect pop music given an epic make over and you’ll get an idea of the sound. “Night Comes Down” is outstanding – at over 5 minutes it sweeps you away on a celestial soundscape – all brass and beautiful key changes. If Belle And Sebastian had written this it would make single of the week/month everywhere – Listen and fall in love…” (Box Set Go)
“…The band seem to defy genre with each song seemingly influenced by a different style…a throwback to joyous 60’s pop complete with the required handclaps and male-female harmonies…” (Another Form of Relief blog)
Take The Pills blog said: “…indie pop full of sweet melodies combined with fuzzy and jangling guitars that reminds me of the mid 80s bands from the anorak city and especially The Go-Betweens…pure pop songs…”
“…Tracks like “Times Table” and the brilliant “Night Comes Down” seem to show a precise attitude for joyful folk-strummed guitars, clear voices in early R.E.M. style, aberrant instrumentation and deep playing organs making tracks float on a soft pop colored musical bubble. Not forgetting nice and clever lyrics included on the course…” (Sleepwalking Mag)
“…I’m obsessed with the three minute rush of a classic pop song and The Hi-Life Companion have produced one that is essentially undeniable…Their harmonies can recall the Beach Boys at times, but they take it a bit further, latching onto an atonal groove and combining it with a catchy melody at the same time. They may have stumbled upon the perfect prescription to write their songs into your brain waves, permanently!” (The Finest Kiss blog)” (cdbaby.com)

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