Ever since I came across their compilation Tracks For Horses back in ’03, I’ve been a big fan of the Manchester label Melodic. That CD alone introduced me to Pedro, The Earlies, Psapp, Minotaur Shock, Micah P. Hinson and a slew of others. So I keep close tabs. Melodic recently announced a rare American signing, The Isles from New York City. Melodic tends towards electronic artists, so again The Isles are somewhat of a rarity for the label. Their debut album, due July 24th in the UK and on iTunes, is rooted in acoustic guitar. The Isles songwriting depends heavily on, well, songwriting. “We wanted to write songs that didn’t rely on volume or delivery to have an impact,” says Andrew Geller, singer and guitarist. “The traditional ‘campfire’ test is a great tool—does this song translate with one guitar and one voice, in the middle of the woods?” It is, and yes, the songs do hold up. The band’s influences are easy to hear, and I’ll avoid the obvious comparisons. Know this, their Manchester-based label is a fitting geography for The Isles acute take on the jangly, indie-pop music that consistenly flows forth from the city.
Pedro
Manchester based Melodic Records first birthed Pedro, then cranked out a whole litter of releases. Twenty, in fact, since 1999. A fine lot of electronic glitches, strums, and rhythms. From Melodic’s site: “Full mp3 tracks, not CD quality, but good enough for you to get addicted.” Actually, they’re nowhere NEAR CD quality, but I’ll be damned if they’re not spot on with the warning of dependency.