Nothing like a mid-gig nap!

Zulu Sound is the new EP from Kildare band Planet Parade. The band have been playing music together for about 5 years and in the last two years they swapped instruments and decided to take a different approach.

The three piece released their debut EP Ghosts to People at the end of last year and have since made a name for themselves as a fantastic live act earning a spot at Oxegen 2010 and supporting bands like Passion Pit, Ellie Goulding, Hockey, Wild Beasts, Bell X1 and Delorentos. This EP proves they are just as good in the studio as they are on stage.

The first song on the EP Son They’ll Come is wonderfully written with plucky appreciated bass riffs and just the bare minimum of guitar. It builds up a little and about half way layers with heavier guitars and vocals.

Zulu Sound has a kind of ska inspired feeling with its bouncy bass lines and plucky guitars. Blue Turns Grey is a lot slower and a nice end to the EP. Its sullen vocals fit wonderfully over the intermittent guitars which dip in and out.
 

I like this EP a lot because it’s really different and I love when bands take chances. Talking about the music on the EP they said “We tend to aim for danceable grooves, harmonious guitars and hooky vocals. It’s probably not up to us to say whether we achieve that or not.”

It’s short and sweet with just four tracks but the production and song writing are incredibly sharp. Although they have no concrete plans to record an album right now, if they to it will be one to watch out for.

The band have drawn comparisons with Vampire Weekend, understandable as they have a similar style musically and vocally. Listening to it though I had one reoccurring thought “they sound really like The Police”. They have the same kind of jumbled up pop sound and singer Michael Hopkins has a very similar voice to Sting. In short, if you’re a fan of The Police you will love this EP.

Jane Ward