THERE IS something in the sound and style of contemporary antipodean indie-punk which feels as though it were music recorded sometime in '78 or '79, and left languishing in a vault until now.
Sonically, it has the space, the minimalism, lof-fi aesthetic, and unvarnished quality of the best music from that period, as well as its strong sense of melody, with catchy pop-hooks hidden in plain sight (eg, 'Up In The Air' ) on what is, non-mainstream music.
Sogni (Italian for dreams ), the second album by Melbourne quartet PRIMO! - Xanthe Waite, Violetta DelConte Race, Suzanne Walker, Amy Hill - boasts all these qualities, and they are what make this 12 songs in 30 minutes collection so appealing.
Some will hear a mere rehashing of a bygone era only, but I do not accept that. These are young musicians who love this style, who believe it is not an exhausted source of inspiration; who are bringing punk and post-punk to a new generation; and through it, are reaching towards their own voice.
Importantly, some idiosyncratic touches throughout - the saxophone and xylophone on 'Rolling Stone'; the almost trad fiddle on 'Diamond Days', the richly psychedelic atmosphere of 'Reverie' - are welcome additions, vitally hinting at more avant-rock directions this band could yet take.
