After taking time out for the 3 "R's" recreation, refreshment and regeneration Dreaminisfree relaunches for 2022 on International Woman's Day. In a shake up of the schedule Album of the Week is also going to be published on Tuesday's.
For Dreaminisfree's first Album of the Week, first review of the year and first post to celebrate International Woman's Day of 2022, I'm delighted to feature the self titled debut album (released in January) from Brighton's ferocious free thinkers Thyla.
Fronted by the formidable Millie Duthrie, Thyla have released a debut album that for me stands shoulder to shoulder with Blondie's self titled debut (yes it's that good). I've literally not stopped playing this album since it's release and for me it's already a contender for album of the year.
Having performed the launch show for their debut EP Everything at Once EP, their ship looked all set to sail only for the harbour to be closed due to the shitstorm that was COVID. Some bands would perhaps see this as an omen and give up. But not this intrepid trio. Rather than rest on their laurels, they used their time to produce an album that borders on the sublime!
Millie (Vocals/Guitar) Danny (drums) and Dan (bass) kept it coastal, choosing to decamp from their dock-side warehouse rehearsal space in Brighton, to a barn in Cornwall’s seaside town of Bude found on Air BNB. Over 12 days they battened down the hatches to record their powerful wall of sound; 12-seater sofas were upturned, towel and cushion sound booths built, and the living room transformed into a live room. The band were off the clock – with only a whiteboard to keep them on schedule – and alongside producer Josh “Hoagie” Harrison (Royal Blood, Sea Power) were immersed in a wonderland of new-found experimentation. “We wanted to create a sensorial world… expose peaks and troughs, use synths, keys, and baritone guitars… it’s the heaviest we’ve ever sounded,” they say.
"The social contract has been broken and now our music and what we write about makes even more sense,” tell Thyla, joyfully reclaiming their new release from the clutches of moments before lockdown. “Our album began as a progression of the inward journeys we’re all on and right now, it has never been more relevant to the individual who may be looking for help with whatever they’re going through.”
Starting off with absolutely stunning 'Amber Waits' you'd be forgiven for thinking that they'd peaked too early and that this album couldn't actually get any better - turns out that this is just a sample of even better to come.
Second track 'Breathe' takes us down a level in terms of emotion with a synth sound that transports you to another dimension. The aptly named third track '3' picks it back up again with Millie channelling her inner Debbie Harry. The chorus is just ridiculous... how can they be this good?
The rest of the album is as golden as the start and having had a few months to absorb this record I'd recommend you stream or listen to the whole thing beginning to end. It's 37 minutes and 27 seconds, but I honestly couldn't think of a better album for you to listen to that's been released this year so far.
With a follow-up already en route, Thyla are one of the most exciting bands I've listened to in a long while. No longer the new kids on the block, it's about time to take this trio seriously. This band are destined for greatness.
Summing this album up in one word - Glorious!
For fans of - Blondie Wolf Alice Black Honey Chvrches
Thyla
Dreaminisfree always has and always will be free - Any artists looking to collaborate please email debbie@dreaminisfree.co.uk