Sky Larkin ‘Kaleide’ // First Listen

Sky Larkin
‘Kaleide’
(Wichita)

Euan Davidson guides us through the Leeds threesome’s second record…

‘Still Windmills’
Oh, Sky Larkin. You jokers. The opener of the follow-up to the acclaimed ‘The Golden Spike’ starts with a shy, chirping few bars and then (spoiler alert!) explodes into life, perfectly matching Katie Harkin’s calls and shouts. “I know there’s a precipice/not saying it’s a piece of piss” is a great lyric.

‘Kaleide’
Previously released as a teaser for the full LP, ‘Kaleide’ is a polished, considered pop song, sprinkled with typically dextrous wordplay. Nestor Matthews (drums) and Doug Adams (bass) give their most accomplished performance yet, on what should be your summer anthem.

‘Tiny Heist’
Sky Larkin at their most clinical. The trio’s best quality is an ability to balance weaving, explorative melodic tendencies with the rhythm section to keep the song grounded and measured: this is apparent in ‘Tiny Heist’, which packs several ideas while remaining earnest and head-strong.

‘Landlocked’
This song begins in whispers before a bombastic verse and chord progression, which particularly calls to mind Copy Haho, bursts into life. Nestor is in fine form here, with frenetic drumming which cocoons the multitude of good ideas in the Sky Larkin arsenal.

‘Anjelica Huston’
Probably the best, if not the only, song you’ll hear to reference the Addams Family star. Like in ‘The Golden Spike’, Harkin is prone to crafting keyboard-based songs that turn out to be amongst the best moments of a record. ‘Anjelica Huston’ works as the album’s ballad, if you will.

‘Spooktacular’
When the demo of this song emerged, it was definitely an impressive take. It showed a raw, immediate side of Sky Larkin that has been magnified by 100 in the mastering process. Scything heave-ho melodies and a huge guitar sound? Yes please.

‘Year Dot’
The Korg is back in this one. There are wurlitzer keyboards, overlapping vocal layers and a huge chorus, where Harkin showcases her ability for a memorable one-line refrain:  “One pile of bones so they’ll know we were friends” is a lyric that will stick in your head forever and ever.

‘Coffee Drinker’
‘Coffee Drinker’ is another example of the flair the three-piece are capable of in their song writing. Slithering guitars explode into huge choruses, and the controlled flamboyance of the rhythm section turn good ideas into an energetic, complete song.

‘ATM’
By Sky Larkin’s high standards, ‘ATM’ is a relatively weak track. Again, there’s a great chorus in “a selfish heart is a truthful muscle” and the instrumentation is impressive but this is a song that lacks the spark of the better efforts on this record.

‘Shade By Shade’
Ah, there it is. Sky Larkin convey energy at the vital points in records. It was in ‘The Golden Spike’ with ‘Keepsakes’ and it’s here in ‘Shade By Shade’. Again, Harkin’s penchant for one-line choruses is blindingly obvious, formidable even.

‘Guitars And Antarctica’
Music can take you places. There’s an eerie sensation in the verses, as minor chords convey the chill of the lyrical setting. ‘Guitars And Antarctica’ is a hidden gem of a track that sounds over-familiar in the context of the record, and is the sort of song one might imagine becoming a live favourite.

‘Smarts (Shh Version)’
Interestingly, Sky Larkin haven’t gone for a dramatic shift in tempo for the closing track, unlike ‘The Golden Spike’. Instead, ‘Smarts’ is a really clever pop song, where Katie Harkin is particularly impressive, backed by her overdriven guitar and a drum machine.