Camp Crush Remind Us That ‘She’s Got It’ (EP stream/premiere)

Camp Crush is led by the husband and wife duo of Jennifer Deale (synthesizers, keys, vocals) and Chris Spicer (drums, vocals). Drawing on a range of classic influences that include the Cure and Blondie as well as contemporary sounds from Rubblebucket and Tennis, the group issues the EP She’s Got It on 18 May.

“We and this EP are both all about collaboration,” the group said recently, “about letting our collective influences guide us toward creating an authentically ‘us’ sound. As a duo, both in music and life, we work together to craft songs into creations we’re really proud of, leaning on mutual trust and admiration for the other’s contributions. Birthed from that is a collection of songs that call back to our influences while showcasing who we are as artists and the depth of our relationship. She’s Got It is driving synthpop that tells a story: how we got to where we are and where we want to go.”

The opening “November Skin” serves as an excellent example of this, with Deale’s vocals recalling the classic era of synthesizer pop (think: Berlin), the track tears down assumptions about the superficial. “The Last Hour” is anchored by lovely, plaintive keyboard figures and what may be Deale’s most convincing performance among the pieces here. Then again, the cinematic flourishes of “Sad Eyes” or the haunting passages of the closing “Hometown Glory” are equally impressive. Deale and Spicer ask listeners to pause, listen and reflect; this isn’t music for listeners in a race to consume but, instead, is there for those who choose to get beneath the surface and fully absorb the material.