There seems to be a perverse trend among bands these days to give themselves names that render them near-invisible to the modern search engine. Hot on the heels of US boy duo Girls comes BOY, a pair of Hamburg-based female voices whose infectious hooks and rapturous harmonies have already caused a bit of a stir in their native Germany and Switzerland – as well as on YouTube, to the tune of about four and a half million views.
The duo take on harmonious ground already well-tread by the likes of First Aid Kit and American sister duo the Pierces, infusing it with unexpected instrumental twists at the hands of friends like Phoenix drummer Thomas Hedlund and found sounds like broken glass. Described as an "autobiographical affair", the album is a loose twelve-track cycle about the girls' own friendship.
As if to challenge their uncomplicated setup the duo run the range of musical styles from the opening dark, breathy "This Is the Beginning" to the folky road music of "Drive Darling". "Little Numbers", the above-mentioned YouTube sensation, is a bombastic pop tune full of hand-claps and woah-oah-oahs and is reminiscent of Feist at her most contagious, and "Oh Boy" happily skips its way onto everybody's summer drivetime mixed tape.
But for all the lightheartedness the band can do serious too: on "Boris", clattering drums and a cleverly-used string section recreate the ominous, claustrophobic man-cave of the sexual harasser; and shivering, beautiful album closer "July" features warm lyrical twists to rival the greatest of country torch singers. While the darkness never lasts long it's clear that this is a smart, quirky album you really ought to get your hands on before it is deservedly played to death in every coffee shop and on every half-creative advertising campaign this summer.
Check out the "Little Numbers" video below
