The North Sea already laid down a marker with a number of sumptuous sneak peek demos over the past 6 months and now the band are releasing their self-titled debut EP. 

The Dublin 5-piece have something of a predilection for ’80s/’90s indie and it certainly shows, with echoes of The Wedding Present, The Charlatans, The Smiths and The Stone Roses shimmering throughout the EP. Opening track ‘Decay’ sets their stall out emphatically. It is as close to a perfect indie song as they come with Eoin Kenny’s restrained vocals flickering through a haze of slow burning guitars and drums. Both ‘These Broken Days’ and ‘Belong’ are cut from the same cloth, two rousing indie numbers.

Meanwhile ‘I’ve Seen Everything Now’ sees them step it up a gear as the vocals frantically strain to keep pace with surge through a blitz of guitars and crashing drums. It is a very composed and assured debut release from The North Sea. There might be a lull in guitar based indie at the moment but there is always room for more, provided it is done well and this certainly is.

The North Sea launch their new EP with Ghost Estates and Death In The Sickroom in Supa Fast (off Capel St.) Dublin, this coming Saturday night (details here).