Happy Diving – Electric Soul Unity – Album Review by Killian Laher

American grungy power-poppers Happy Diving have just released their second album, with a title ripped straight out of the pages of Ian Astbury. The music within, however, is far closer to the likes of California X or Dinosaur Jr. Bigger World opens with a squall of feedback before a set of big beefy riffs kick in. Matt Berry’s vocals are reminiscent of all your favourite shoegazers, a little muffled and ever so slightly off kilter. The pace picks up with Don’t Be Afraid Of Love which swaggers in at speed, and Holy Ground which is like a scuffed up early Foo Fighters track. Head Spell is a bit more measured, more nod-along than mosh-along but its a brief moment of respite. Shed Light and Lost My Way’s brawny, distorted riffs burst out of the speakers on a pair of tracks which veer close to metal.

It’s true to say that there isn’t huge variation on the album, many of the songs starting with a similar burst of feedback, several of them coming and go in two minutes or so. Only penultimate track Unknown Feeling avoids heavy riffage in favour of Dave Grohl-style balladeering, and it’s a pity as it’s maybe the weakest thing here! But you don’t always need variety, or massive depth for that matter. This isn’t an album that reveals itself gradually over twenty listens or more. It’s a set of shoegazey rockers which aim for that exact sweet spot where Dinosaur Jr meets My Bloody Valentine and hit it pretty hard. For those who like this sort of thing, this will make you very happy indeed. It’s available here.

Track List:

1. Bigger World 02:47
2. Don’t Be Afraid of Love 03:40
3. Holy Ground 01:51
4. Electric Soul Unity 02:14
5. Head Spell 02:59
6. Fantasy 01:38
7. Shed Light 03:20
8. Lost My Way 01:46
9. The Call, It Thunders 02:11
10. Pain Country 02:35
11. Unknown Feeling 01:43
12. River Will Flow 03:13
Don’t Be Afraid Of Love: