South-London six-piece, Blue Bendy, have just released their debut EP ‘Motorbike’ via Practise Music. The four-track EP is a showcase of the band’s various capabilities and wraps up their first unit of work in a fine-tuned package.
The release of ‘Motorbike’ gives a name to the excellent run of singles Blue Bendy provided through the end of 2021. In striving for a distinct and interesting sound— and developing this project surrounded by other South London creatives—’Motorbike’ emerges sounding both contemporary and nostalgic. It is an ever changing blend of genres with interesting lyricism that ultimately draws you in out of curiosity.
‘Motorbike’ opens with ‘Spring 100’, a sweet combination of dejected lyrics and uplifting musicality. Easing you gently into the EP, it hails a soft bassline, humming cymbal, and a siren-like synthesiser that comes in waves. Nolan sighs over cyclicity and asks “Has this dread expired? Been here before”, in a way that is supposed to be “doe-eyed” and “self-pitying” but is primarily articulate and poetic.
We then jump into ‘Clean is Core’ and it’s echoey acapella. The declaration of “[I am] the sardonic boom” perfectly sums up the humour and cynicism that drives this track. This cynical humour births the merging of classical references and empty modern culture as Nolan mumbles about “this Beck’s blue bacchanalia”.
‘A Celebration’, the EP’s penultimate track, is notably emotional in both vocals and instrumentals. It builds into shouting and distorted, heavy drums before lulling into an outro that stars Olivia Morgan’s vocals. The only ‘new’ track is ‘Settling; Cool’, which is filled with intricacies, all of which are fundamental to the emotion it induces. With an unsettling opening, the track progresses into a sometimes jagged; sometimes whimsical three and a half minute closer. It is obscure and hard to pinpoint as any one thing, starring both moments of silence and moments of over-stimulation, including the burst of energy in the last 10 seconds.
‘Motorbike’ is fun and eclectic. The vocals are consistently emotive and theatrical; and the instrumental remains dynamic and cinematic. It is a slick introduction that doesn’t box Blue Bendy in with any expectations. Instead, they have set the precedent for unpredictability, which is an invaluable thing.
