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Popgaze

Connecticut indie-rock band Ovlov's debut full length for Exploding In Sound Records, is stylistically heavily 90s influenced and drenched in layers of scuzzy goodness a la Dinosaur Jr. and My Bloody Valentine - their sound is dubbed popgaze in the press info which actually seems rather fitting.

They don't just drown you in static though, tracks like Grapes are laced with sweetly melodic duel vocals to match the dreamy, distortion heavy guitars and album favourite (even after one short listen) Blue Baby floats on a sweet melody wrapped in fuzz. These are perfect laid back tunes for chilled summer listening and really get you in the mood for sultry nights to come; (fingers crossed us Brits get some of those this year).

Anyone in their teens in the 90s like myself will find that this album takes you right back there; playing like some long forgotten classic at times - the love child of the aforementioned My Bloody Valentine and Dinosaur Jr (especially in the vocal department) the record brings back floods of (hopefully happy) teenage memories, lending it an emotional depth - but don't fear, even if you lack this 90s memory pool there's no reason you won't enjoy the album anyway.

There are plenty of nice little quirky additions that make Am very much the band's own sound and remind you that it is in fact a product of the here and now and these keep you listening right until the end.