Beautify Junkyards have always enjoyed working with writing and performing collaborators. Nova is no exception and features some very special guests. Paul Weller sings and plays guitar on the co-written song, “Sister Moon”. Dorothy Moscowitz (of United States of America) co-wrote and sings on “Turn the Tide”. Jesse Chandler (of Pneumatic Tubes, Midlake and Mercury Rev) contributes flute on “Groundstar” Nova is the third album on Ghost Box for Lisbon based band Beautify Junkyards. As ever, the songs have a wide instrumental palette with ethereal vocals from both João Branco Kyron and new singer Martinez. This time around however, there’s a more electronic feel to proceedings and the usual rich and melodic songwriting has a somewhat more experimental and Avant-pop sensibility. Kyron’s synths and electronics are now augmented by the most recent recruit to the band Bernard Loopkin. Together their contemporary sound design combined with meticulous period sampling evoke a world of 60s & 70s movie soundtracks, library music and vintage electronica; the sounds reminiscent of White Noise, Piero Umiliani, Mort Garson and Broadcast. This is not machine music though; Antonio Watts’ mesmerising drumming and percussion beautifully underpin the songs and the bass and guitars of Sergue and João Moreira intertwine throughout, ensuring that there’s always a sinuous, human feel.Lyrically the songs explore a surreal and abstract dreamscape, taking stylistic cues from situationism, Dada, cut-up and the wider reaches of the psychedelic imagination. This is reflected in Julian House’s beautiful and carefully researched design work for the album, which draws its inspiration from the situationist and revolutionary underground press of 1960s Europe.
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