Combining natty and topical songwriting with layers of musical depth, ALASKALASKA have managed to bring something new to contemporary indie pop with Meateater.
ALASKALASKA have mastered the blend between fuzzy art pop and something just that little bit more. Their 2018 release Meateater is every second the catchy playlist friendly tune that any new band could wish to write, but when combined with irregular instrumentation and poetic lyrics that take aim at social stereotyping, new depths are achieved.
It makes you wonder why music today doesn’t have more rhyming lyrics. It gives the track a refreshing flow and keeps up pace, complimented by the bouncy synth bass. Not only does Lucinda know how to spit bars but her agile voice manages to possess the quality of being both soft and also containing a sharp edge.
Having a saxophone in an indie band really allows them to expand their sonic offering, and not in the overbearing and repetitive Ibiza club banger kind of way. Fraser Smith plays with conscience and yet manages to fold elements of jazz into this off-kilter pop. It really works well and backed up by the colour wash of layers across guitars and keyboards, the overall effect makes for a strong sound.
The band formed as a combination of graduates from Goldsmith’s popular music course and other friends of Lucinda’s, known to them as the “jazz boys”; a nod to their slightly different musical background. The unconventional joining has led to their 2017 EP picking up a bit of a cult following around parts of London south of the Thames. With only the pair of tracks – Meateater and Monster – being released in 2018 along with an extensive calendar of gigs at new music festivals, we can only hope that this will be a year of more jazz-infused dream pop from ALASKALASKA.
The Empty Space Between Your Ears 