Enduringly defiant Scottish indie pioneers, Neon Waltz introduce their guitars to the groove as they return with only their second single in three years, Winner – OUT NOW on Fierce Panda Records. Matching river-deep lyricism with their studied musicianship, the band famously detailed as ‘Britain’s most northerly band’ blend their wind-lashed John O’Groats reality with sunnier climes, splicing distorted six-string storms with warm, emotionally charged lo-fi rock.
Glueing visual inspiration to their musical vision, the video for Winner continues Neon Waltz’s rich tradition of playful, creative artistry. Bringing each band member into contention for acting plaudits, but only two in line for a prestigious darts championship, the video scripted and directed by frontman and lyricist Jordan Shearer, shows the band’s sense of humour to be firmly intact.
Rich with bass-driven soul and in no rush to the finish, their newest cut of music leans into multi-tracked vocal harmonies, deft switches in mood and espouses the hard-won confidence they’ve earned over the last decade. Where they originally made a splash with festival stage ready cult classics such as Dreamers and Perfect Frame, every track tailor made for the singalong, the follow up to their June comeback single, Send Me Down, shows a band toying with their own increasingly adventurous, genre-splicing intent.
Neon Waltz’s debut album Strange Hymns, released in 2017, established Neon Waltz as one of the more distinctive breakthrough names in British melodic alternative rock. Influenced by artists including The National, The Band, The Walkmen and Grizzly Bear, the band have always looked beyond straightforward indie-rock structures, developing a songwriting style that places melody and atmosphere alongside accessible, inclusive immediacy.
As next summer marks ten years since the release of debut, the band can reflect on a decade that has taken them from their extreme northern base to stages and festivals around the UK, Europe and as far as Austin, Texas, before bringing them back to Scotland and the business of making more music together. As the experimental nature of Winner suggests, this time it’s all on their terms.
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