REVIEW: Happyness – Tunnel Vision On Your Part (EP)

The London based trio Happyness have released their EP Tunnel Vision On Your Part via Moshi Moshi Records.

The five track EP offers laid back indie vibes with a dash of acoustic 60s country harmonizing.

The EP begins with track Anna, Lisa Calls which is a chilled track that immediately has me tapping my foot and swaying in my seat. Straight away, I feel like the song is in line with a similar easy listening vibe that found with Lost In The Dream by The War On Drugs, except Anna, Lisa Calls is just that more upbeat.  The song has a slight alternative grunge 80s feel to it that makes me think of childhood days spent playing in the streets.

It’s odd to see a cover on an EP, but track Friend of the Revolution belongs right at home on this collection, giving a more of a dreamy feel to it that makes me want to climb onto my bed, open my windows and give myself over to the music. The band offers their own take on this song, so much so that it’s hard to believe the song is not theirs originally.

SB’s Truck actually stuck with me and I found myself humming along to it for the rest of the day, this was definitely one of the more upbeat songs of the EP without being too in your face. It fitted in with the rest of the laid back vibe of the album but offered just that little bit more.

Although it’s a shorter track, Surfer Girl actually sounds like a classic 60s sort of song that I could get up and slow dance to at any second, whereas title track Tunnel Vision On Your Part ends the EP nicely. The longer track is almost expected to phase out with repeated beats and lyrics before it comes to a final stop, leaving you reaching for the repeat button.

All in all, even though each song offers it’s own unique elements, each track works well and slots together into the EP nicely, almost suggesting a nice continuous flow between songs.

Much of this EP suggests heartbreak, but in contrast, the beats and riffs reflect a more whimsical and happy sound, making a unique combination that tugs on your heart strings without bringing you down.

The vocalist offers an inviting and hypnotizing voice that just draws you in – even though the band are known to swap roles often when in the studio – and the EP features tunes that stick in your mind long after first listen.

Tunnel Vision On Your Part is out now.