Taffy - Lull [VINYL]

Vinyl is limited to 250 copies on 180g 12" eco "greenpower" vinyl, with a marbled fog effect. Japanese indie-pop favourites taffy return with their sixth studio album 'Lull' on the 24th January 2025 via Club AC30. 'Lull' marks the band's first release since the critically acclaimed 2019 album 'Deep Dark Creep Love'. Forming in 2011, taffy has built a glowing reputation in Japan and the UK within the shoegaze genre pioneered by bands including Ride, Lush, and Slowdive, and has been able to incorporate those influences into their own unique sound, gaining numerous plaudits along the way including The Guardian, NME, Clash and Dork and can count The Charlatan's Tim Burgess as a fan. 'Lull' marks the first material from the band with new guitarist Rio Kato, who brings his own unique, inimitable style to the taffy sound. "He's great at playing almost any style we choose, yet he has his own approach which turned out perfectly throughout the album. We have the usual taffy gems along with Rio's style, so it's taffy but kind of new taffy! I feel that this album is sensitive but quietly powerful," says vocalist and guitarist Iris. The new album is the result of the coronavirus pandemic back in 2020. "During covid, we sadly lost some great artists and I myself have lost few of my loved ones. Not being able to meet in person for a long period of time, it felt as though it would go on forever. It made me realise who and what really matters to me. All those mixed emotions and feelings went into each and every one of the songs on the album," she adds. On the band's first new material in 5 years, Iris continues, "I've missed the people, places, things, bands, shows, tours, just every little thing that we used to do and have, but at the same time I've also felt that everything and everyone was changing and what kept me going through those tough times were the people who showed love to taffy, so I really wanted to deliver the album as in a way of my appreciation." From the sweet, beguiling sounds of album title track 'Lull' and jangly rhythms of 'If Only', to the mesmeric rumblings of dream pop anthem 'Colour Me', taffy display a finely-tuned sense for melody. Elsewhere, the impossibly sweet vocals of lead singer Iris glide effortlessly on the charming 'Prism' before taffy offer an ethereal mixture of distorted guitars, feedback and volume on a tender cover of R.E.M.'s 'Hairshirt'. The album was recorded at Sound Crew Studio, Tokyo with Toshiro Kai, taffy's "fifth" member, who they have been working with since the band's debut album 'Caramel Sunset', released in 2012. taffy toured in the UK this summer, supporting the Wedding Present and also playing at Kendal Calling festival. taffy is Iris (vocals and guitars), Ken (drums and chorus), Takeshi (bass and chorus) and Rio (guitar and chorus)