Hailing from Cork, a breeding ground for such acts as Sultans of Ping FC, Microdisney/Fatima Mansions and Cyclefly, Emperor of Ice Cream is a band out of time. Their debut album has just been released. Some 28 years since the band formed back in 1992 and 25 years after they split having been dropped by their record label. This release should have been rubbing shoulders with releases from contemporaries from The Frank & Walters to Whipping Boy, A House to Into Paradise. Fast forward to the release in 2020 and instead they are rubbing shoulders with the likes of Fontaines DC and The Murder Capital.
Bask in the Spirited Sunshine Sounds
While these new bands take their lead and serious moody edge from the likes of Whipping Boy and melodies from A House, Emperor of Ice Cream are ploughing a different furrow. While much of their sound is firmly rooted in the 1990’s, they fuse together stylistic influences from preceding decades. In doing so making a sound that is refreshing and inspiring, giving the listener an overall feeling of re-invigoration and exhilaration. The songs on No Sound Ever Dies lift you up, carrying you along as you bask in the spirited sunshine sounds.
The baseline of the album is rooted in 90’s indie guitar band heaven. Driving electric guitars, melodic vocal overlying the ringing guitar fuzz wall of sound. As you listen to the album, they take that baseline and add different elements here and there to add texture and variety to the mix. Know Me has more of a Byrdsian 60’s psyche pop feel. First single from the album, Lambent Eyes, is driven by the tight snare funky drummer style beat, making it reminiscent of early Stone Roses material. Sunflower takes a nod towards a more shoegazey feel. Hypnotic vocal over a lazy hazy rhythm. While second single, Everyone Looks So Fine, is an addictive ear worm taking its mellow pulsing beat and adding a layer of fuzzy guitars over the soaring chorus.
Compelling Bass Lines
One thing that strikes me throughout the album is how drawn in I get listening to the compelling bass lines. Often exuding a deeply resonant loose, vibrating thrum especially on the likes of Again and Again they are somewhat hypnotic. Following on from Again & Again the band move into the second of the slightly darker, broodier tracks at the end of the album. Stranded building to a boisterous crescendo in Into Paradise type territory. Closer, Grow as You Are, has a drifting optimistic feel before crunching guitars lift it into its imploring chorus and epic outro.
There might not be anything ground-breaking or new about the album but, remember this is an album that should have seen the light decades ago, and is a wonderfully enjoyable and uplifting listen that has been worth the wait.