What with the referendum and THAT election, the spirit of rebellion is alive and well north of the border. Political engagement has been matched by a cultural resurgence, with bands like Paws and the Amazing Snakeheads spearheading a phalanx of new Scottish music.
With two promising singles under their belt, West Lothian’s The Phantoms are well placed to join the charge. Announcing themselves with riff-laden debut EP ‘This Is How it Should Be’ in 2013, the band made a giant leap forward with ‘Revolution’ the following year.
Sporting an expansive, sparser sound, Revolution’s bass-driven melodies recall New Order, before twin guitars collide for the controlled aggression of the chorus. New release ‘Wasting Time’ is better still, a brooding slow burner that shows the band gaining a stronger grasp of dynamics.
This is mature, powerful stuff from musicians fast developing a sound that could see them follow heroes Kasabian and Arctic Monkeys into the big leagues. Whether they can maintain this momentum remains to be seen, but with a new single due in March and an album sure to follow, these Phantoms show no sign of disappearing.
Find The Phantoms on Twitter, Facebook, and Soundcloud. You can download all The Phantoms music from iTunes.
