Ever since they first broke through with their dazzling debut single ‘Please Don’t Go’ near the end of last year, Leeds’ Good Ship have been quick to establish a fresh and innovative direction for themselves. Drawing on a wide range of influences from The Ronettes and Ennio Morricone to Duran Duran and The Velvet Underground, their retrospective pursuits have allowed them to hone a distinctive sound to call their own, one that builds with every new release they’ve delivered to date. And after plenty of praise and acclaim, they are cementing their legacy so far with their hotly-tipped debut album ‘Gain, Distortion, Sustain’.
Much like what their recent run of releases has showcased, ‘Gain, Distortion, Sustain’ aims to project a kaleidoscopic approach to both instrumentation and production. Creating these broad and alluring textures that switch between dream-pop inspirations and more psychedelic ambitions, their first full-length is this wonderfully moving offering that takes on a dynamic avenue with almost every single track.
While cuts like ‘Unchain My Heart’ mark some of their more emotive moments, ‘Nowhere Fast’ feels far more energetic as it plays, elevating the band’s diverse appeal and allowing them to seek out the perfect complement in order to keep the momentum of the record always moving forward.
It may be less than a year since they first arrived on the scene, but ‘Gain, Distortion, Sustain’ already has the confidence and progressive intent of a band with many more years under their belt. Good Ships have not only released a strong and solid studio album here, but have also opened up the possibilities of where they could take their sound next, one that feels even more adventurous than it does here.
