Flawes, Holding Out For The Win
Red Bull Records
Chill indie-pop’s having a moment – LANY’s stellar record mama’s boy came out just last month, and bands like Easy Life are lulling fans into relaxation with their laidback beats, and it’s the kind of gentle pause we could definitely all do with. Pop-leaning trio Flawes set the precedent way back in February with their gleaming debut Highlights, and clearly they’ve sensed that people need more music you can unwind to while still bopping, because they’ve returned with a new single. Holding Out For The Win is the first track released ahead of next year’s Reverie EP, and it looks like there’s definitely some treats in store.
Flawes definitely win with this one – the track’s simplicity makes it as charming as it is danceable, with vocals flowing over the low-key electronic instrumental. Hints of 80s synths in the mode of The 1975’s catchiest tunes keep the energy heading in an upbeat direction, constantly rising and falling and keeping you swaying along.
Holding Out For The Win yoyos between feeling stadium-sized and super-intimate – frontman JC Carruthers has a voice you could easily imagine singing an indie-rock anthem, but by giving voice to the silky alt-pop of Flawes, he manages to keep a sense of star-studded ambition whilst still sounding totally calm. Flawes’ sound is aspiration, open-top-car music, but will happily fill any given room, whether it’s a stadium or your bedroom (and in these times we’re glad of how well it does the latter!)
Reverie is out February 26th.
