Second Still is a three piece band from Los Angeles. Though strongly influenced by No Wave and French Cold Wave, their electronic drum sounds, unconventional bass and guitar lines, and strange vocal melodies still set them apart from any traditional categorization...

Second Still has a hell of a lot going for it. Tracks like 'Jo' have the power to transport you back in time to the '80s. The album's writing is diverse and intricate and it's great to see the band pushing the boundaries from track to track. It would have been so easy to get stuck in a familiar rut here. Thankfully Second Still are better than that.

Bassist Alex Hughes and guitarist Ryan Walker met in 2007 and spent years combing through '80s underground records, the most memorable being Xmal Deutschland, Asylum Party, Garlands-era Cocteau Twin, and Opera De Nuit. It wasn’t until after moving to New York and meeting Suki San, (a classically trained violinist and former shoegaze vocalist), in late 2014 that they finally became a band.

There are 8 tracks on the album (32 min, 27 sec) which may feel some feeling a little short changed, But what the album lacks in running time it more than makes up for in quality.

If you grew up in the '80s and loved the underground punk scene then this will give you a flavour of what you've been missing all these years.

7

Nick Smithson