New Young Pony Club - The Optimist

by Lisa Torem

published: 30 / 3 / 2010

Label: New Young Pony Club
Format: CD

Engaging and entertaining electronica on self-produced and released debut album from offbeat UK act, New Young Pony Club

Review

UK’s New Young Pony Club has just released ‘The Optimist’ which is self- produced, self-funded and self-released. Known for their single ‘Lost Girl’ which gained acclaim late 2009, the album features remixes from Mele, Rory Philips and Dekker and Johan. Mele, in his first major remix, draws from dubstep and house. Rory Phillips, a virtuoso of club, adds distinct edgy disco and, with his production partner, Johan, they transform the art of the remix to a grand stature. ‘The Optimist’ is a rice-paper origami lantern; each track is crisp, self-propelled and unfolds perfectly, whilst also giving way to the subsequent tier. ‘Lost A Girl’ is high energy with suspenseful electronic bleeps that glisten. ‘Chaos’ paves the way for jangly guitar and bold rebellious bass. Lyrics are direct: “You like your motor on/The world is in your wake/You got the people singing/La la la/We like a little chaos/We like a little thrill/Don’t take the brakes that were meant to save us/Make life a bitter pill." Random tongue-in-cheek expressions throughout add a unique twist. ‘The Optimist’ track bleeps its collision course with a head-stomping bass and maniacal percussion. The addition of Pete Fraser’s saxophone emits a vibrant burst, too. I love ‘Stone’ with its harrowing intensity and confidence: “STONE. You’re stone. That’s what you are/you are/you are.” The streamlined beauty of the layered, melodious electronics imbue Gui Boratto, and the edgy vocals hint at Karen O (The Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs) and Violet Black (Grand Duchy). But, what sets these songs apart from those of others in the same playing field is the deep imagery:“Days are moving on/The golden glow of the evening flows like treasure.” ‘We Want To’ screams with industrial heaving. The animated vocal line: “OH EE OH” seems like it was snatched from the flying monkey scenes in The Wizard of Oz. “Such a pain/You change your behaviour/You won’t do this and you won’t have this/I’m sick of all this running around/I thought I had a brain/I don’t seem to have one.” This zany stream of consciousness is sheer fun in the song ‘Dolls.’ Thrash Bass Thrash Bam Thrash might be a way to sum up ‘Before The Light’ and its counter-rhythms. ‘Lost one, found one” is chanted in muffled magnitude. But, ‘Oh Cherie’ may be punk’s response to Gregorian chant. Primitive, raw and astonishingly unique is the refreshing outcome. ‘Rapture’ undergoes eccentric key changes, like those made famous by the Dresden Dolls. The closer ‘Architect of Love’ is exuberant. “Time has made a mark on me/The architect of love does not remember us.” The vocals are lithe and lovely. In fact, generally, the vocals are searing and serve the songs well with harmonies that celebrate the Bangles, Siouxsie And The Banshees and Abba. All songs were written by Tahita Bulmer and Andy Spence. ‘The Optimist’ is a killer of an album; a pop/punk dragonslayer that plunges the dagger fiercely through the mediocrity of your day. Not one moment is wasted or ho hum. Each track keeps you strapped tight to your senses and enormously engaged. If you’re not optimistic about ‘The Optimist’ your glass will always be half empty.