Live Review: LISTEN: Van She ‘Jamaica’

With the long-play Idea of Happiness’ release still roughly a month away, VAN SHE have gone ahead and unleashed their second single ‘Jamaica,’ just to keep us eager.

Now saying their album is ‘long-awaited’ would be a slight understatement. It is not since 2008, when the lads released their debut V, that we have had a full album or original material. However, with the release of singles ‘Idea of Happiness’ and now ‘Jamaica’ we are starting to get a sense of the sound that Van She have been working on for all these past few years.

With ‘Jamaica’ we have a synth heavy, mid-tempo dance track. It appears that the Van She Tech offshoot has influenced the group, bringing forward a more dance heavy sound, through the use of both live and synth instruments.

The track begins with a mellow beat and then picks up at the chorus as lead singer Nicholas Routledge chimes about some party where everyone is dancing and having a great time. And all the while I’m thinking why aren’t I there? the drums pick up, inviting the guitar to blaze in. Position front and center for the close of the song is a dance-floor riff just as strong as any synth beat. It’s a truly interesting close for this track.

These guys really are becoming experts in making-me-smile music.

Check out ‘Jamaica’ bellow. Van She’s second album Idea of Happiness will be released July 16, and you can pre-order it here. And for those that missed out on seeing the guys when they toured around the country last month, stay tuned for future dates.

Words by Luke Letourneau

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