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Shady Lane

4/5
Here We Go, Down the Black Hole
Jordy Lane’s music, much like the Pavement song from which he derived his moniker, is best absorbed through headphones while meandering through the suburbs on a cool, sunny winter’s afternoon.

If you enjoyed Bibio’s recent release, Ambivalence Avenue (again with the street references!), chances are you’ll love this. It, too, is a sweet mix of folk and beats, with sampled sounds of chattering children thrown in for good measure. Channelling both Lou Barlow and Thom Yorke, ‘Who is the Host?’ is a clinky, lo-fi number à la Bubble and Scrape-era Sebadoh, while ‘Oh, Reality’ could be mistaken for Radiohead’s ‘Idioteque’. Instrumental track ‘Here We Go, Down the Black Hole’ is jam-packed with tasty, looped electronica goodness.

Fans of Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service are also accounted for – they will appreciate the upbeat synth pop tempo of the album and Jordy’s wistful, boyish vocals. But whereas Death Cab’s Ben Gibbard
has a tendency to slap on the saccharine, Jordy isn’t lamenting relationships gone wrong and loves lost. It’s not a broken heart that he is suffering from, but existential angst. Scientific innovation, the existence
of God and the meaning of life? All up Shady Lane’s alley.
Joanna Lowry
Available to buy online.