Based in Stockholm, Gentle Ivanhoe Death Skulls make a cool, shoegaze-inspired brand of indie rock that is warmed through by the nostalgic tones of the vocals. This month sees the release of their new record, Beaches, with our friends at Hidden Bay Records, and the album shows a band not content with the icy momentum of shoegaze. Rather, the duo push in a variety of directions, including brighter lo-fi and pop sounds that serve to highlight the crystalline precision of their core.
We’re delighted to be able to share a brand new single from Beaches ahead of its release next week. ‘A Clubber Lang Fan’ retains the gauzy textures familiar to shoegaze, though definitely operates at the warmer end of the spectrum. As the title suggests, nostalgia is an important emotion in the track, conjured from the sparkling guitars and insistent drums and charmed by the fond tone of the vocals.
The closing segment features sounds samples from Rocky III. “From Chicago,” yells the voice, “weighing in at an even two hundred and thirty-five pounds, the world’s number one challenger… the undefeated Clubber Lang!” But, set against the the wistful sound of the song, the grand announcer comes through tinny and lonely—the sound of glory been and gone, past victory nothing more than old lines running through your head, repetition from a time when anything was still possible.
