I quite like these guys. I think I'm reasonably safe in calling them guys. I mean I think they're all men. The last thing in the world I want to do is make some poor female musician feel like a bloke. I don't think I'd sleep.... Speaking of which I've had very little lately so if the following reviews make no sense then I apologise. The Ruby Suns hail from New Zealand with some Californian New Zealander heading the show. I've never heard NZ music this happy so I can only assume it's the sunny influence of Arnie's state. They make bright brashy pop music which is made for the summer time and fits in nicely somewhere inbetween the pop of Animal Collective and some of the more recent chillwave stuff which is getting everyone's pants in an excitable internet twist. It's party time music for those who like their music interesting yet bright and breezy. It's laid back yet busy and exciting... Loads of cool percussion filling my ears... It's like a street carnival and you're invited. Yeah... Even lonely ole you.
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Sound clips for Fight Softly by The Ruby Suns: on vinyl at Norman Records UK. LP (vinyl), Memphis Industries, MI0150LP, £11.79.
• New dreamy electronic pop album from New Zealand’s The Ruby Suns, led by Californian Kiwi Ryan McPhun. The album retains the super melodic song writing of the first two records but displays a new electronic direction. Ryan cites as equal influences 80s / 90s New Jack Swing and modern Angolan kuduro, Fleetwood Mac and Britney Spears, Brazilian tropicalia and Argentinean cumbia.
• ‘Fight Softly’ was recorded in Seattle, Hungary and New Zealand.
• Available on digipack CD and vinyl. The vinyl format is strictly limited to 500 copies and comes with a free CD of the album.
