Hexicon - The Blossom Sighs

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3...according to our Business Lady on Fri 18 Jun, 2010.

These guys are friends with Moustache of Insanity which makes them good guys in my book. Hexicon are a good time twee indie pop outfit. That means they've got the light touch you'd expect whilst knowing their way around a simple, beautiful pop ditty. They have more than likely got a soft spot for The Beach Boys, classic girl groups, foppish indie pop genius's like Neil Hannon and they all own original cast recording of Grease on tape. They probably wrote this entire masterpiece in indie-pop tastefulness over an afternoon of tea and scones whilst hanging out with members of Plouf! Totally great record this, in part it has the bravado of Ben Folds Five but mainly it doe's what it knows best and that's pseudo Divine Comedy/Belle And Sebastian tweeness, and they do it real well sir.

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Songwriting duo Michael Collins and Paul Rains, concerned that their work in Allo Darlin’ was going to beat their own songs to the hit parade, are getting their album into your living room in time for summer. Having spent the last few years recruiting audiences from Edinburgh to Austria into their percussion section and accruing so many hours in the studio they opened their own, Hexicon released their first single in January. The enigmatically titled “Something Strange Beneath the Stars” proved that interesting pop can still push the right buttons on BBC Radio 1, 2 and 6Music with Huw Stephens, Steve Lamacq and Tom Robinson all giving airplay to the single.

Now that the snow has melted and the end of Spring approaches, Hexicon release their appropriately titled debut record "The Blossom Sighs." Drifting naturally away from their early lo-fi tag, the album sees them perfecting hi-fi pop with heart. Mike and Paul (Voice and Guitar), are joined on harmonies by Thomas Allard (French horn, Korg, keys, hair) with a little help from Elizabeth Morris of Allo Darlin’. Whilst recording the lineup swelled to include rotating drummers Andy Grieve and Greg Webster and studio partner Giles Barrett on bass guitar.

As a live act, Hexicon have turned from a delicate acoustic affair into the unlikeliest of party bands. “The Blossom Sighs" catches them right in the middle of this transformation, sounding at once rich and transparent, stark and baroque, and always beautiful. In addition to festival appearances alongside Fanfarlo and Super Furry Animals, the last few years have seen the band share stages with the likes of James Yuill, Darren Hayman,The Just Joans and Tender Trap. Hexicon are equally at home leaving rooms drowned in a wash of feedback at the end of the epic album centerpiece, "Follow the Herd" as they are holding audiences captive for the acoustic, rumbling "Ireland."

Austrian writer and songsmith Rob Rotifer had this to say about the last single: “old favourite ‘Something Strange Beneath The Stars’ looks pretty dark on paper, but it is carried along by a catchy sweet melody climbs skyward by means of a gorgeous lilting horn line. ‘Still Here’ showcases the lower ranges of Mike Collins' voice with just a hint of huskiness in his pure and unaffected tone on top of a luscious soul/country ballad backing.” Both tracks are on the album, but if they are highlights, we can’t tell. This one’s going out on Haircut Records, former home of Esiotrot and The Maccabees. We run the label, and when the majors come knocking we don’t know how we’re going to break it to ourselves.

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