The Tessa Murray and Greg Hughes duo is by far one of my favourite dream pop projects with their ethereal ambiance and very exotic vibes in the backgrounds. Their fifth album has just been released and, no surprises here, The Last Exit is awesome.
It's not easy to have one's own unique style when creating indie dreamy pop, it's just so many bands that do that. Still Corners certainly have that. Those bossa nova, tropical music vibes are always all over the place, no wonder that among tags describing The Last Exit is "desert noir". It's audible especially in Crying with its desert atmosphere only strengthened by the western-like whistling. Very familiar sounds, ones I loved on Slow Air, come back in White Sands and what a comeback it is.
Murray's vocals, again, as always, fit the atmosphere in the best way possible. Deep and heavy on one hand, very airy and beautiful on the other - the counterweight to lighter and swinging music. Although this is not always the case either, as in more experimental Bad Town or a tiny bit heavier Mystery Road. This fits the album's overall theme being, surprise, surprise, the desert and its obscure beauty. Hughes suggests that by saying "We found something out there in the desert – something in the vast landscapes that went on forever." This something is now perfectly audible on the album (and also draws an interesting parallel to another dream pop charmers who chose this theme for their new album - Holy Motors).
The Last Exit costs 7 GBP.
Check: The Last Exit
Country: UK
Genre: tropical dream pop
Label: Wrecking Light