Just one year, and six tracks in, Gold Coast band The Delicates are definitely finding their feet. Since forming as a six piece in late 2014, the band have earned their stripes on live stages, including support slots with bands like TSUN, The Harpoons and Young Magic (USA). Periodically releasing material and refining their surf inspired garage sound over the last twelve months, The Delicates have gone from strength to strength. And the latest track from the band, Chimera, sees the band lifting their personal best.
Doused in surf and garage rock, Gold Coast five piece The Delicates deliver their best work yet with Chimera.
Holding onto surf rock and garage sounds in the lo-fi production and bright guitar melodies, Chimera still holds true to the elements that have characterised The Delicates since their formation. A dreamy brand of jangle pop, the rhythms across this latest song have a swing to them that harks back to 50’s rock and roll. Swooping bass lines and the emphasis on the off beat, lend a swaying, slow dance feel.
Still with a rough-around-the-edges, DIY vibe, and velvety vocals from Shani Ishigaki falling just slightly off centre, the song is fittingly named; traditionally describing an animal that possesses completely two different aspects. Doing just that, Chimera feels like the natural progression for the band, but a very welcome one. The band themselves say that “We feel like we have finally honed it down to what works best for ourselves.”
With a few outfits staking claim to the name, interestingly The Delicates was originally the name of a 1950’s girl group. A Brill Building girl group, famed for the kind of swaying pop that seems to have crept into The Delicates of the Gold Coast’s psyche. Though as they were unaware of the original group’s existence until after they had settled on the moniker, the band disclaim any influence from that quarter; “We all listen to music from all different era’s and genres, so I don’t think we’re influenced by one single sound – but as far as songwriting goes we write pretty intuitively, so we’re really not too sure where it came from!”. There must be something in the name…
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Recorded at local Gold Coast studio Little Pink with producer George Carpenter, the band recorded both Chimera and another new track (yet to be released). Describing Carpenter as a “good fit” for the band, The Delicates will be returning to the studio in the near future. With an EP in mind, Chimera is a good indication that the band have found their groove (if you’ll pardon the pun).
A trip through The Delicates’ SoundCloud is a little like watching a kid learn to ride a bike. Every stage feels like an accomplishment, but each new release sort of eclipses the former. From their laid back debut Farewell My Love, tinged with psychedelic tropes, through to the most recent Middle Of The Road vibrating with energy and shining with the surf influence and a growing confidence from Ishigaki’s vocals.
And with Chimera we see the band flying off down the hill, stabilisers left behind – and maybe with a snazzy foxtail flying off the back? Still with plenty of road to go, The Delicates are well on their way. With their debut EP in the works, expected to be released in early 2016, the band are hopefully planning an accompanying tour down the east coast of Australia.
