By Alva Casey

Released June 13th, 2013 - Rhythmethod

Nostalgia is the word I would use to sum up the debut album Comfort from Splashh. From the album artwork to its sound nostalgia was what was invoked.

Comfort is the result of band members Sasha Carlson, Toto Vivan, Jacob Moore and Tom Beal. They originate from as far afield as New Zealand, Australia and the UK. It is perhaps this that leads to the road tripping summer time feel of the album. Comfort seems to want to be a summer album, longing to be accompanied by cold beers in the setting sun and open roads. However it is just a bit too heavy for this. 
Listening to Comfort the use of distortion throughout reminds one of listening to a radio not quite tuned correctly. After years of development in the music industry to ensure the cleanest recordings this manipulation recalls a past time before the digital age took hold.

It may seem odd for the punk band to incite ideas of summer and serenity. Although their influences ofPixies and Deerhunter (amongst others) are evident throughout the album if we put aside the vocals there is also a feel of Franz Frerdinand and Dirty Pretty Things lending an indie grunge feel to the swinging punk genre.

There is a constant feeling that the album is about to take off, that one of the songs will break free and deliver the adrenaline burst and peak that we are waiting for. But it never comes. While all the intros breath promise of variations they quickly recline back to the same tone that came before.

It is like watching your team in a critical match, surging towards the goal and failing at the last minute. However, like many of these teams, experience and training will bring the results we know they are capable of. I have no doubt that in a few years we will listening their other albums and nostalgically reflecting on their first teething offering.

Maybe even while we sip cold beers in the setting summer sun.

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