Memory Flashes - Anison

The pile of CDs waiting for review has been growing lately, I admit it has started to get out of control and the bigger it gets, the more daunting it becomes. I have dipped into it over the last few days, trying to find those that jump out at me, the ‘easy win’ as I call them; something that inspires me to prattle on for a few hundred words.

Enter Ansion, the CD has been in and out of the CD tray a few times lately, with each play it gradually sinks in a bit more each time. They have seemingly been quietly going about their business, releasing a stream of singles, each one gathering them a little more momentum and attention. With the release of their debut album ‘Memory Flashes’ this brings together a number of those tunes such as ‘Sail Back To Sleep’, ‘The Colour Red’ and the upcoming ‘Fluidity’.

Recalling the likes of Bloc Party and even shades of dare I say, Marion, Anison are aiming for the big indie sound and pretty much hitting the mark.

Opener ‘Repeat The Process’ and the aforementioned ‘Sail Back To Sleep’ offer up the big indie-rock numbers, gently building from the verses to the explosive choruses. ‘Spatial Awareness’ follows and has a decidedly more ‘math rock’ feel, Bloc Party drums with angular guitars echoing and the haunted vocals of Dan Frau drifting over the top.

Adopting the classic loud/quiet motif for ‘Pedestrian Thespian’ the calm of the intro is splintered as yet another hook laden tune unfolds. There is an almost eerie quality about ‘Revert To Type’, Radiohead meets The Cure but with a more uplifting sound than that implies. ‘Fluidity’ has the radio appeal, a more danceable Muse, multi-layered sounds that wash over you and are absorbed before you realize it. The minimalist beats of ‘Imaginary Lists’ recalls Keane, not a selling point to many I know but the rolling piano and background pulse create a deftly hypnotic appeal.

The whole indie scene feels like it is a state of flux at the moment, Anison have all the right moves to make an impression.

written by Jules/Tape to Tape