The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Higher Than The Stars EP

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart have certainly flourished in 2009 with a fine début album and a couple of cracking 7″ singles. Having followed the bands progress from their self released debut EP and their first week long UK tour in a freezing February last year to a sell out show at the Garage back in June I have been both surprised and delighted how far the band have come with their mix of fuzzy pop and shoegazing sounds. However it’s time to start wondering where the band are going, soundwise, from here and the Higher Than The Stars EP offers us a couple of clues.

The title track is a synth driven New Order-ish inspired track, the type of which the Field Mice used to produce to fine effect. It’s no surprise to find that, given the playful synth sound, it has been given the remix treatment across the various formats with the Saint Etienne Visits Lord Spank Remix with it’s dreamy beats and haunting vocals coming out on top. However the stripped down Others In Conversation Remix on the 7″ should also get a honorable mention.

103 is a short, fast punky number complete with pace, blurred guitars and a football terrace chant. In short a perfect example of pop music. Falling Over (the Orange Juice one as it is introduced live) has that funk sound loved of many a post punk band. It too has been given the remix treatment and DJ Downfall does a serling job in the course of three and a bit minutes with his Sprechenbann Mix. The band get back down to basics on Twins with it’s shimmering dream pop guitars fed through a noise pop blender. A pretty good ending to a mighty fine EP and no sign of them slipping up either!

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Higher Than The Stars

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Higher Than The Stars (Others In Conversation Remix)

The Higher Than The Stars EP is out now on Fortuna Pop (UK) and Slumberland Records (US).

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