Miniature In Name Only

Christchurch born, Melbourne based duo Miniatures released their eponymous debut EP recently, and it's a great slice of discordant shoegaze disdain. Originally conceived as a solo project of Christchurch native Ché Walden, the group drifted through various directions and ensembles until a partnership with Dunedinite Annemarie Duff set things properly in motion. Steven Marr (from another great C/Church band, Ipswich) rounded out the bass playing duties on these four tracks, with an extensive bank of effect-laden (though personality-devoid) programmed tracks continue to serve in lieu of a drummer. The band namechecks Slowdive and the Cocteau Twins, and neither are that far off the mark. For a sound that spent so much time fermenting in the bedroom, Miniatures is proof that it is now more than ready for exposure to the masses.


You can grab Miniatures here from Trash Musik.

Miniatures - Midwinter (Air)
Miniatures - Time Is

Friday Cover Up - Diving For Fossils With My Baby

A couple weeks ago my girlfriend asked (somewhat flippantly) why I don't talk about her on Sonic Masala. Well, apart from ruining my clear chances with Katy Goodman and Mia Clarke, the real reason is because it's all about the music. No one wants to hear about how we were listening to the latest Cannon record whilst driving to buy groceries, or how she is a minor fan of local grungers Sleepwalks, or how bizarre she found Amateur Childbirth, do they? Maybe I am being unfair. Maybe people would much prefer that to the crap I dole out willy nilly. But as strange as this may sound, much of our relationship hovers outside the realms of music. That is MY domain...MINE!

Ahem...

But then I heard this cover great retro guitar pop icon Beach Fossils did of the great shoegaze band Slowdive's 'Alison'. Beach Fossils bypass the shimmering guitar pop to embrace some shimmering noise whilst gazing at their shoelaces. Not only is Souvlaki one of the great shoegaze albums EVER, but the track is amazing and is emblazoned with my girlfriend's name. The song is part of AdHoc, a new "quarterly zine" that offers you a download of 50 previously unreleased tracks from supportive artists, if you're willing to donate $15 or more. Anyway, it's a great song. More importantly, though - you have been mentioned, Alison.




But I don't want to leave a Beach Fossils-affiliated post with out talking about the 7" they released through Captured Tracks a couple weeks ago. "Shallow" is the A-side, backed by another new one, "Lessons.

Beach Fossils - Shallow
Beach Fossils - Lessons