bar italia makes buckets of British nihilism rain down from the skies. Between crashing beats and lingering vocals, the Londoners ring in the autumn early. Despite their two albums so far, the three musicians Nina Cristante, Sam Fenton and Jezmi Fehmi have managed to keep rather a low profile until now. With »Tracey Denim«, released on Matador, the trio have not only launched a new label, but also a sound of their own. Between screeching guitars and almost post-punk rhythms, the band tells of the fear of meaninglessness. Existential angst for the bedroom, so to speak.
In between you might be reminded of Yves Tumor or Black Country, New Road, before sinking back into bedroom melancholy. »Tracey Denim« is an album for the sunny hours before the summer sales herald the autumn. The fact that Nina Cristante used to produce lo-fi pop, while Sam Fenton and Jezmi Fehmi dabbled in grunge, is a good introduction to the charisma that is bar italia. In any case, the vibe matches what has just descended on Europe in the form of big black rain clouds. But melancholy can also be beautiful.
Tracey Denim
