Lee McFadden's "Round Tuit" Reviews

Following their impressive 2016 digital-only single “Ubix/Keener” on Edils Records, the South London 4-piece Ice Baths unveil their debut album – released through Stoke Newington’s Blank Editions. Thomas Cleall and Alex Ives are the two ever-presents in Ice Baths, sharing vocal duties. The album features Daniel Philpott and Daniel Moseley – but since the record’s completion both have left the band to be replaced by Jack David and Ed Shellard (the latter also in Blank Editions label mates Aathens). The album’s half hour length emphasises its conciseness and intensity, but still leaves room for the odd eyebrow raising surprise. Traditionally, the opening track of any album is geared to set the stall out – to declare the gateway available to what lies ahead. “Freighter” however leaves the listener wondering if Ice Baths have elected to ensconce themselves in the world of improvisation – disembodied, frozen vocals fronting a musical landscape collapsing in on itself. Expectations ar...

The first review on these pages concerned an album whisking you off into a slower, more innocent past. This single’s sentiments hanker for that same nostalgic utopia, but is left surveying the chaotic debris of the unmerciful present. I was left for a time wondering – with the age of the internet and the (middle) age of myself whether it was still possible to achieve music listening Valhalla - hearing a band you’ve never heard of and know absolutely nothing about – and become instantly excited and curious and on the hunt to seek out more. Well – it certainly is. Neil Scott, ex of Felt, Horse Latitudes and current Sleeperman guitarist kindly sought out this webpage and sent me their third single of 2018, “Loyalty”. By the end of the year they will have released a single for each month. The A-Side of each single is available digitally, but limited edition CDs are issued with an extra track – or “B-Side” (for hipsters or those over a certain age). Alongside Neil, Sleeperman fea...