Lostaura_

 Lostaura are a five piece Retro Art Rock band.

Originally from Bournemouth Lostaura have developed a large following through their tight energetic sets. Their original sound has been described as a powerful ambience with accomplished atmospherical breaks.

Review of 3 track demo.

Opening track ‘Follow Suit’, shifts Lostaura back into the harder, heavier, more gruelling and raw side to their music which they consistently shine in. Piercing tremolo guitars hover over a bulldozing rhythm section represent a nod to the prog-rock/post-rock era of Mogwai and Godspeed You Black Emporer and even the grunge tinted sounds from NME hopefuls The Vines, The Distillers and The Von Bondies. However, it also carries enough pace and passion in its controlled raucous to provoke memories of the pre-My Chemical Romance/Fall Out Boy rock-emo era. The song is topped off with some elegant U2 fashioned arena filling reverb, and finally, lyrics that sum up every young person’s confusion in a world that flummoxes to provide this generation with any kind of hope – “I’m losing track, to be perfectly frank and insecurity grapples with me”.

Second track ‘Uwer’ delights with its Jonny Marr educated jingles and jangles and obscure rumbling bass lines reminding us that Lostaura are more than just power chords and hooks, but unfortunately this sometimes gets lost in the mayhem and confusion of it’s chorus. The song is rescued by a truly enchanting break with weaving phaser effects which lifts the song into a comforting suspended pre-chorus.

Bob Dylan inspired social commentators fell into a lull after Blur’s demise but the likes of Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner, indie rave startlets Hadooken, bass brawling Jamie T, Bloc Party and the charming Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip have made ranting popular once again. Whilst Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke preaches that it remains his duty as a front man to hold society accountable, Lostaura’s counterpart Dave McCormack takes a shyer and reserved stance in the third track sarcastically titled ‘I Wish I Was You’. He sings “How did we get like this and why must my head be down as I walk by/Why must we take anymore”. This is a song about ‘Chavs’, but it doesn’t give them a Daily Mail-esq. disdain, rather it includes the listener into a cheerless and disillusioning world where every corner is met with gangs of cider fuelled hooligans. Intricate finger picking by lead guitarist Lewis Adams provides the backdrop to this suburban war cry and as the song builds and tension grows it growls into explosive, angst-ridden choruses.

Joe Henegan