Pinkshinyultrablast - Everything Else Matters

by Anthony Strutt

published: 18 / 1 / 2015

Pinkshinyultrablast - Everything Else Matters

Label: Club AC30
Format: CD

intro

Outstanding debut album from St. Petersburg-based shoegazing band, Pinkshinyultrablast

Pinkshinyultrablast hail from Russia, and take their name from an album by the band, Astrobrite. The band consists of Igor on bass, Lyubov on vocals, Sergey on drums, Rustam on synths and electronics and finally Roman on guitars. 'Everything Else Matters' is the band's debut album, and follows on from a single release back in October. Opening the album with 'Wish We Were', Pinkshinyultrablast have a spiritual feel, electronic in direction, both calming and dark underneath, which combines the quality of the young Wedding Present with the texture of early 4AD bands. Vocally Lyubov reminds me of Lush but as the track speeds on up it's like RIDE on speed. 'Holy Forest' is upbeat and sunny with ringing guitars, all of which recall the Cure of 'The Head on the Door'. 'Glitter' is like a 21st century Cocteau Twins, combining ethereal vocals and razor sharp guitars. 'Metamorphosis' again has more than a hint of the Cocteau Twins to it, but its bass line is worthy of the Smiths' Andy Rourke. At the four minute mark, the guitar takes a different direction and becomes much harder, in a vein akin to the Foo Fighters, before returning to the band's familiar shoegazing wall of sound. 'Umi', the first single, flows naturally, but again halfway through it becomes harder with a fade out that lasts over a minute. 'Land's End' has more of a new wave feel and the vocals sound heavenly, before speeding on up in that RIDE style that they have already proved that they do so well. 'Ravestar Supreme' again recalls Lush, while its guitars battle it out in the style of RIDE's first EP and the bass hints at the Cure's 'A Forest'. 'Marigold', the final song, is the longest track here, and like everything here is well paced, with dream pop vocals while the bass is almost Gothic. If this is the shoegaze that St. Petersburg produces, then it has got a bright future. An outstanding debut album.

Track Listing:-

1 Wish We Were
2 Holy Forest
3 Glitter
4 Metamorphosis
5 Umi
6 Land's End
7 Ravestar Supreme
8 Marigold

Band Links:-

https://pinkshinyultrablast.bandcamp.com
https://twitter.com/pinkshinyband
https://www.facebook.com/Pinkshiny

Label Links:-

http://store.clubac30.com/
https://www.facebook.com/clubac30
https://twitter.com/clubac30

interviews

Interview (2015)

Anthony Strutt speaks to St. Petersburg shoegazing band Pinkshinyultrablast and recent Club AC30 signing at a gig in Leicester during their first visit to the UK