Based in Somerset, 3 piece band Zeals released their second EP, ‘Ready To Fly’, on September 1.
Currently comprising Harrisen Larner on vox and guitar, Rob Whelan on drums, and Toby Andrews taking lead guitar and vocals, Zeals formed eighteen months ago in Weston-super-Mare. The trio take inspiration from their shared love of the likes of The 1975, Fickle Friends, Prides, and One Republic. They also enjoy listening to heavier rock acts such as Bring Me The Horizon, Don Broco, and Lower Than Atlantis.
First track, ‘Feel It’, has a strong vibe reminding us of The 1975, and is paired with a lyric music video which has had a filter applied to it, making it look like it was shot in a different era. The clip includes footage from their visits to and live performances in and around the Bristol area, and as far afield as Austria and Hungary.
Second song, ‘Do You Really Care’, starts out drum-led and high tempo, and you can hear the One Republic influences. ‘Paddles’ is definitely more rock and has a vibe about it which suggests the band has also been listening to some Led Zeppelin. It’s a very mature sound, and is very pleasing considering the relative youth of the trio.
Track four, ‘Dark Waters’, is a direct contrast to ‘Paddles’, but it’s a welcome one, with a beautiful melody and at times, sparse instrumentation. ‘Dark Waters’ is possibly our favourite on the EP, and we feel it lends itself very well to radio play.
The title track takes us back to rock, and is the perfect ending to a finely crafted EP. There’s a certain amount of familiarity to the entire record, which isn’t in itself a bad thing, as it definitely gives the listener something to hook onto.
‘Ready To Fly’ was recorded over the past few months at Cardiff’s Longwave Studios, and produced by Romesh Dodangoda, who’s known for his work with Bring Me The Horizon, Motörhead, Funeral For a Friend, Lower Than Atlantis, and Twin Atlantic. It includes five tracks, all with an addictive indie-rock/pop flavour.
Zeals can be found online on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, where you can find further information about their music and live performances. You can stream ‘Ready To Fly’ on Spotify, and download it from iTunes.
