Japanese Sleepers - Little Victories

Another tender sounding bunch on Thee SPC. The man who runs this label is a local hero I've heard & he still insists on releasing his astute, original musical finds in nice formats like this bag 'o treats. The first singer from this band has a mellow breathy purr to his voice that recalls both Bobby Wratten from The Field Mice & Paddy McAloon from the Prefab Sprout. The opening flurry of music is quite honestly some of the most delicate, tentative electronic based pop I've heard in rather a while. It sounds really organic & fresh with an innocence & vitality that is thoroughly engaging! Fans of The Postal Service will adore this track 'Whistler's Breath'. 'Celebrate' follows and is a less dreamy, more stomping effort with some perky acoustic, whirring synths & bicycle bell fun. 'These Are Our End Times' reminds me a bit of Shady Bard initially and has another member (shall we call him singer #2?) singing this time. Once again I'm totally charmed by the twinkly playful embellishments & folksy sway of the tune. After a brief interim song that virtually finishes before you're aware of it's occurrence, we're onto the fiddle-led closer which also has a traditional folk element keening to get out and tear it's shirt off from beneath the veneer of heartfelt, provincial Northern (sensitively rendered) indie. A real treasure this, I cannot wait to hear more from this S. Yorks/Midlands traversing crew. There's certainly something for many tastes here but overall it's quite an individual labour of love from five young lads who totally deserve your time!!