Summer Camp - Life

‘Life’ is the first track of Summer Camp’s forthcoming EP ‘Always’. Following their debut album ‘Welcome to Condale’, ‘Life’ is a contrast to the generally upbeat indie pop of the duo, more brooding and dark. Elizabeth Sankey’s voice is easily one of the best in indie music at the moment; strong and detached in a rather chilling way, before the beat kicks in and we return to more traditional Summer Camp territory. If ‘Life’ is anything to go by, Summer Camp are just getting better and better, and their new material is going to be a treat. 

Jessy Parker

Summer Camp - Down

From She and Him to Slow Club, boy/girl duos are at their all time peak of popularity and Summer Camp are surely going to end up defining the genre with their innate charm and several layers of synthesisers. Having sent journos and music fans alike into thralls of excitement with their early tracks and Young EP, the band marked Halloween with the long awaited release of their first album ‘Welcome to Condale’ and latest single ‘Down’.

‘Down’ is easily one of the stand out tracks from the album and Elizabeth Sankey’s omni-perfect vocals douse it in syrupy gorgeousness. Synths filled with feedback provide the catchy background, making dancing irresistible, and the background repetitions in the chorus make it feel like a release from a 50s girl band. The song was complemented with a video from possibly the weirdest Halloween party of the year, demonstrating the quaint charm of a band who seem like they wouldn’t care if nobody listened to them. Summer Camp are making kooky a good thing again. And everyone’s listening to them.

By Jessy Parker

Summer Camp - Welcome To Condale

October the 31st is the perfect release date for Welcome to Condale. Whilst everyone is getting wrapped up to brace the cold Summer Camp are brightening up our bedrooms with their sunny, synthy debut. Elizabeth’s syrupy vocals and the 80s bass work together so perfectly that even when she’s telling tales of over-obsessive love in the sexy, synth loaded "I Want You", she still sounds like a total angel.

Songs like 1988 could easily replace the Thompson Twins attempts at creating the most perfect musical moment in a film. When Jake Ryan is waiting outside the church in Sixteen Candles I can just imagine the 80s drums and Elizabeth and Jeremy’s perfect harmonies kicking in. Sigh. The song Welcome to Condale gives us an insight into what the album is really about, "leafy suburban streets" and the teens that inhabit them. Each perfect pop song is punctuated with sound bites that relate to the songs, "I am the nerd" "you crazy bitch!" This adds to the whole concept album feel and makes Condale seem like a real place. Songs like Summer Camp and Down are packed full of sing-along moments which would fit perfectly at the house parties of the "cool kids" in Condale. Ghost Train is the only song that’s managed to make it from their Young EP to the album. But it’s suffered a few changes along the way (I’ll leave it to you to work out what but I was very disappointed when I heard it! Or didn’t hear it...). Even though the album sounds upbeat, there are a lot of songs about broken hearts and trying to get over lovers, Better Off Without You being a highlight.

Welcome to Condale as a whole is a massive dose of nostalgia which will make you want to hunt down a hot psychopathic boyfriend who murders people to make it look like suicide. Or create a super babe with your geeky best friends’ laptop and magazine cuttings. Or throw a fabulous Val party at least! Summer Camp are going to help you through these wintery months by welcoming you to Condale. 

8/10

By Eden Young