The London-based artist – and it is an artist, not a band – has just released ‘Kodak’, a single featuring graciously melodic vocals reminiscent of The Smiths’ Morrisey, over a sonic bed of soft guitars and keys and driven by a crisp drumbeat. The song is about capturing a fleeting moment with a loved one, living in the moment and cherishing it by capturing it on an old Kodak camera.
The project is headed up by talented multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Joseph James, who sat down in his home studio with one thing in mind: to write a catchy love song for people to sing back to him:
“It is a bright indie pop song for those newly in love, and sounds like a fusion of The Smiths and The 1975. It’s about taking a photo, and saving that memory or moment you shared with that person forever. Nothing feels purer than that.”
The track has a timeless quality to it, with an understated and not overcomplicated arrangement, straightforward structure and production that lets the vocals and the lyrics speak for themselves. This 1980s Madchaster-nostalgia combined with some modern sensibilities really defines The Pink Nostalgia as an artist, as does the retro imagery that accompanies this single (lo-fi analogue black and white photography).
The clue is in the name of both the single and the artist – having this clear direction for the project really works, and will certainly turn the heads of many fans of 1980s indie looking for fresh meat. It is a refreshing contrast to the often overused 80s revival we have seen in recent years that leans more toward electronic synthesiser and drum machine based tropes that defined the decade (looking at you, The Weeknd!).
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Andy is a multi-instrumentalist, producer and sound engineer.