Various Artists – Love and Disaster 1 EP

Too often is the case that young and breaking bands are buried under the mass airplay of better known, established artists. A new Manchester-based company, Love & Disaster, are clearing the way for fresh talent by releasing a series of EPs. Backing some of the most exciting and attention-deserving musicians in and around the city, Love & Disaster are proudly sharing the overlooked local talent that they feel deserves recognition.First up in the Northern showcase are Airship, an indie guitar band that surfaced last year. The fast-paced ‘Kids’ bursts open with a siren-like, snappy, Bloc Party-meets-Editors riff. An air of buzzy enthusiasm continues throughout the typical indie track, complete with a sing-along chorus, cymbal-laden percussion and reverberating distorted echo.Genre-bridging Dutch Uncles have already had success with their self-titled debut album. The complexity of their new track ‘OCDUC’ is pulled off perfectly, making it intricate yet accessible. They seem to have a similar math-rock attitude as Foals, laying a mesh of interweaving keys, vocals and nippy guitars set to obscure and challenging time signatures. Their Talking Heads vibe creates a lively sanguinity, aided by their confidence to journey further into the realm of pitched percussion than Mystery Jets could ever dream of.Ex-Fear Of Music vocalist Jo Rose, whose band was previously signed to Columbia Records, presents the most different offering of the EP with a promising early version of his track ‘Lastbreath, California’. This precious little song carries a moody, full-bodied atmosphere, plucking intrigue from the first chord. Gentle piano, with the moving sublimity of some of Elliott Smith’s calmer moments, floats underneath Rose’s pure vocals that hold the same chilling quality as Rufus Wainwright’s smooth, honest lulls. It is less distorted and angsty than a Fear Of Music anthem, instead opting for a mesmerising, transporting reverb and delicate, enchanting cries from a pedal steel. Out of all of the tracks, this is the one that hits the deepest nerve and shows just how much hidden talent exists.The EP draws to a close by waking up from the dreamy headiness and catapulting into an energetic remix of Delphic’s ‘This Momentary’. The four piece have had their second single dabbled around with and invigorated by fellow Mancunians Everything Everything. The sturdy heaviness in the bass line of the original is exchanged for a Hot Chip style pulse and fluttering synths that Nintendo soundtrack creators would envy. A double layer of hazy vocals still lies in the forefront, keeping enough of the original indie-dance single in tact but giving it an extra zest.Love & Disaster 1 achieves exactly what it sets out to do, i.e. promote promising and deserving artists that have vast amounts of potential. Unlike other compilations that tend to focus on a specific genre, this EP offers a diverse variety of some of the interesting, eager and inspiring talent that is out there. It would be extremely good to see and hear more of these artists this year, especially the notably talented Jo Rose.Download or grab a copy of the beautifully presented 10” gatefold vinyl to revel in the creations of the under-acknowledged industry tadpoles.