This One Time, On Bandcamp: Candy

We're really starting to get into the swing of things now — five weeks in to This One Time, On Bandcamp and one of our recently featured acts just signed a deal with Niche Productions agency. 

Now, we're not so egotistic as to suggest that we had any bearing on that whatsoever (strongly imply, sure), but if nothing else at least that goes to show that we're keeping our eye on the right acts with this series. 

So, to keep the ball rolling, we've picked out another act this week that we think is destined for big things — partially because he's already established himself with other pursuits, but mostly because he just writes damn fine, dreamy indie-pop of such casual excellence that it's hard to tell whether we're more impressed than we are just outraged that one person got all this talent to themselves.

Say hi to Candy.

candy — melbourne, victoria

If you ask us, one of the greatest human achievements of the past two-or-so decades has been the explosion in accessible, easy-to-use home recording software. It's given a voice to countless talented folks who would never have been heard otherwise, even when they have been.

Take, for example, Melbourne musician Calum Newton; you may already be familiar with some of his work as one part of garage-pop trio Lunatics On Pogosticks, but you'd be forgiven for having missed the output of his lo-fi, dream-pop-peddlin' alter-ego, Candy, amid the action of his main pursuit.

Newton has actually been masquerading as Candy for a while now; he actually put out his first full-length, Bildungsroman, back in 2013, following it up just over a year later with solid sophomore effort Wrapped In Plastic.

It's with Azure, his just-released third full-length, however, that Candy has well and truly caught our attention, putting together a 10-track run of glistening, bedroom-born dream-pop heavy on catchy hooks, infectious beats, self-deprecation, sparkling synths and sweetness for days. Second cut So Close even notched up some sneaky plays on triple j back in September (on it, Nat Tencic!), ahead of the album's release, but it's otherwise largely flown under the radar since dropping last month. That's a real pity, too, because Newton has crafted some seriously fantastic genre-hopping ditties for this set, which remains eminently listenable throughout, from the ethereal, clean-guitar intro of opening cut Chapel Street right through to the reverb-soaked final moments of the closing title track.

In fact, in some (actually, quite a few) moments, it sincerely feels like mid-2000s Phoenix just boned the ever-loving shit out of Joy Division, and this album was the offspring. Make of that what you will, as long as it's something good.

releases

Azure - LP, Feb 2016

Wrapped In Plastic - LP, Dec 2014

Bildungsroman - LP, Apr 2013

Hear more tracks at Bandcamp.

Got an independent band? Got a Bandcamp page (because the title really doesn't work without it)?

Let us know if you want us to listen to your tunes, and you might get featured in a future edition of This One Time, On Bandcamp!