This 4-track EP by the Oslo-based Mayflower Madame is certainly not without its merits and the band’s interesting and engaging blend of post-punk, morose rock, and shoegaze is not totally unlike some of the sounds that we associate with The Cure, Jesus and Mary Chain, and the overlooked Plenty. There are even a few nods to some of the early New Romantics such as Sisters of Mercy and Joy Division to list but a couple of examples. Either way, it is very cool to get acquainted with Mayflower Madame as they have some wicked stuff to offer.

Mayflower Madame conjure up soundscapes that are vibrant and organic with a hint of both melancholy and psychedelia to them. It is strangely dream-like at times only to shift gear and turn into something unpleasant, raw, and hauntingly dark. There is also an underlying vibe of unease and something unsettled coursing through the songs that is both compelling and weirdly seductive. The tunes are generally quite catchy and memorable but not without a fair amount of textures and layers, and it is most impressive to witness how they go from being introspective and full of anxiety to wildly intense and somewhat explosive. Certain parts would have fit right into some David Lynchian neo-noir nightmare, which is to say that the tunes offer a mental escape of sorts when listening to them, but at the same time it feels as if one is being lulled into a false sense of security, which is awesome.

"Premonition" is rich on bleak atmospheres and sullen moods, and the postmodern sense of collapsed identities and displacement has rarely sounded more convincing than it does here. Support these five dudes and check this captivating EP of theirs out now.

 

https://mayflowermadame.bandcamp.com/