Welsh indie/psych-pop veterans Melys have made a notable return with their latest single, Santa Cruz, now available on all streaming platforms. This track serves as a precursor to their forthcoming album, slated for release in the spring of 2025. Following their April 2024 release of BBC Radio Sessions (Vol 1)which highlighted sessions recorded for Huw Stephens, Adam Walton, and John Peel, Santa Cruzmarks the bands first new material since their 2005 album, Life’s Too Short.
Santa Cruz is a bubbling slice of avant/indie-pop, featuring shivering synths and melancholy melodies. The song bubbles and fizzes with intertwining guitar and synth lines, while swooning backing vocals add a heart-melting touch. Andrea Parker’s emotive vocals blend seamlessly with golden summer melodies, evoking the coastal landscapes that inspired the track, following a road trip across the Pacific Coast Highway from San Diego to San Francisco. The song reflects on coming from a background of low expectations and ambition, but it’s those Melodie’s that really grab you.
Check it out, here
