Album Review: Foxx Bandits - Gold Dresses

Someone really should have mentioned that the "Shoegaze" genre was back in fashion. It wasn’t great the first time, and it’s really not a lot different now. Never heard of it? Think early nineties indie, before grunge and Britpop. And unfortunately, Foxx Bandits fall into this category with their debut four-track EP, ‘Gold Dresses’, released through Inaugural Records. It’s not that this EP is boring exactly; it’s just missing that all-important edge to make you want to listen past the first song.

‘Beach Fatigue’ starts promisingly, but amounts to, well, not very much. It’s very monotonous, the vocals are dreary, and it’s hardly innovative either. For a band that has so much hype around them, you’d think they could have produced a slightly more interesting opener. The next track, ‘Kafka’, really highlights the ‘lo-fi’ quality of the album, and it’s one of the best things about it. This track is understated and minimal, without being boring. It has the atmospheric elements of a lullaby, and all in all is a beautifully written song.