From the furnaces of Stoke-On-Trent come Formal Sppeedwear and their single “Bunto,” a wonky new wave teacup ready to be sipped, brimming with a heady infusion of Yellow Magic Orchestra, Neu and DEVO.
Defying the seas of young musicians moving to London and Manchester to find their path, Beck Clewlow (Bass, Vocals, Synthesisers) Charlie Ball (Guitar, synthesisers), and Connor Wells (Drums, Guitar, Synthesisers) stuck it out in Stoke, using the city as a blank canvas – devoting their spare time to writing and experimenting, building their own studio out of charity shop finds and cash-converter synths and recording equipment.
Out in the creative wilderness of Staffordshire there’s a healthy DIY scene brewing with bands waiting to make their mark; fly posting their own shows, making one-off merch for each gig, sharing lineups with one another. “There is no sense of geographical confinement here, there’s a wealth of talent who act indifferently to their surroundings. It’s particularly nice that some of our friends from here are starting to receive attention from elsewhere” say the band. As fellow locals University and Christian Music start to garner attention from the rest of the UK, it’s time for Formal Sppeedwear to follow suit.
Taking creative cues from Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies and Conny Plank’s experimental recording techniques to flesh out synthpop-oriented melodies, the EP stomps along with Scary Monsters-era Bowie guitar lines, early ’80s Numan basslines and surreal lyrics – “Ready, set on my mark: Tesco Extra, Marks and Sparks” cries Clewlow on 6 Lofty Ash. There’s a versatility to the tracks; with the jolting staccato of The Line counter punched by EP closer and highlight A Dismount’s soaring synth slow burn.
Stoke-on-Trent might not be the first place you’d look to find your favorite new band – The Bootleg Beatles are one of its finest exports if you ask Google – but Formal Sppeedwear are here to show you the kilns are alright.
What do you think of Formal Sppeedwear’s single, “Bunto”?
