Believe it or not, it’s getting on for a decade since Tunng reached arguably their career pinnacle with the brilliant Good Arrows album. That was Sam Genders’ final release with London’s prime exponents of folktronica and was a quite remarkable way to bow out.
Genders himself has been something of an unsung musical hero since he first burst into our world back into 2004, having dived into all manner of interesting, often pioneering projects in the past ten years. We all have our favourite Genders moments, but my pick would probably be the 2012 album by Diagrams, Black Light, which featured such sublime ultra folk-pop gems such as ‘Tall Buildings‘ and the tender, minimalist splendour of ‘Ghost Lit‘. And happily, this year, Genders has teamed back up with his old Tunng sparring partner to create another album full of infectious sparkle, this time under the guise of, simply, Throws.
‘The Harbour‘ begins with a very ‘nautical’ sounding guitar shimmer and exquisite harmonies which actually DO make you feel like you’re walking along the seafront, watching the ships sailing majestically upon the waves. I can’t entirely work out all of the words, if I’m honest, but it matters not one jot, because when you can convey this amount of emotion merely with the musical arrangement it is surely an indication of your inner genius. The fact that this is followed by one of the strongest pop songs I have heard this decade, in the form of the ludicrously catchy ‘Punch Drunk Sober‘, further cements this suggestion. Breaking down for an almost otherworldly operatic interlude two thirds of the way through, we return to an irresistible and somewhat heart-warming refrain which all but sums up what we can expect thereafter.
Not that you could second guess what’s coming, as this is a real melting pot of styles and ideas. ‘High Pressure Point‘, for instance, begins frostily, almost like a Gregorian chant, before repeating the title as a kind of mantra over and over again and eventually turning into something approaching what Tamla Motown or Stax might have put out in the early seventies. ‘Bask‘, on the other hand, sounds as though it could have been written by Damon Albarn. Oh and I’m a sucker for poignant spoken word pieces, so finale ‘Under The Ice‘, which sounds something like one of Pulp‘s best b-sides, is an absolute joy.
Something for everyone then. It’s hard to imagine ANYBODY not enjoying Throws’ debut album. It’s full of charm and, like meeting up for a beer with an old friend you haven’t seen in ages, you realise that, despite the separation, the bond between you has never been greater.
Throws’ self titled album is out now on Full Time Hobby.
