Thyla
The Sunflower Lounge
Review by SdM
Bigger, better, brighter. Thyla returned to The Sunflower Lounge sounding more focused and resolutely determined. Brighton’s finest dream-pop makers delighted and surprised with an array of honed and crafted songs sounding tighter and – by jingo! – louder than ever.
‘Only Ever’ marked an undeniable statement of intent. Starting with a panoply of ethereal sounds they then erupted with powerful drums and an echoing U2 style lead guitar. Millie’s voice contained a greater sense of self belief and a greater sense of emotional connection. Her usual stage-wear of all-white has now been eschewed in favour a far more casual knotted t-shirt and jeans. Thyla, it seems, have re-evaluated what they want to be as a band, and the sound they were making was all the better for it.
The fast-paced stomp of ‘Blame’ thumped with energy and attitude in a thwack of unbridled indie-rock. Former single release ‘Ferris Wheel’ was somehow heightened with an extra layer of vitality. Millie tugged at the heart strings, her voice redolent with anguish, hope and despair – it captured all in attendance. ‘Candy’ continued the heart-break theme, the tension and drama steadily rising throughout, the tune escalated with heavy drums and searing guitar flourishes.
‘I Was Biting’ takes the Thyla dream-pop in an altogether darker direction – the angst and smouldering bitterness was almost tangible. ‘Lennox Hill’ a song inspired by Millie’s childhood, flew positively stratospheric. Millie sounded triumphant and liberated as the song grew from breezy and chilled to stormy and euphoric. She joined in with the cheers following that one and was clearly enjoying herself.
Latest single, ‘Two Sense’ bounces along with a carefree saunter before kicking up the guitar volume and distortion. Millie responded in kind with a dazzlingly impassioned vocal. Old fan favourite ‘Blue’ threatened to loosen your fillings with an explosive drum intro. The new found verve and punch gave extra tenacity and exuberance; the chorus sparkled and was as sing-along as ever.
Set closer ‘Everything’ sealed the deal, the performance and the pure sonic assault let you know that Thyla are far more than their dream-pop label. They have added everything from raw indie to stadium rock and sound ready to take on the world.