Dragging vocals, straight guitars to the rhythm of runaway trains, yet simultaneously dreamy and melodic, hard-driven bass and pounding drums. These are the ingredients of Van Couver, a band formed in 2018 in Lugano, in the deep south of Switzerland.
Van Couver's sound is a captivating, remarkable and distinctive fusion. It impeccably blends the essence of what the independent and alternative rock scene of the 90s and 2000s gave birth to - everything that these guys fed on during their lives and grew up with.
With an intriguing harmony, Van Couver’s music embraces contemporary indie rock acts such as INTERPOL, DIIV and BEACH FOSSILS. It also carries a clear British pop influence, ranging from OASIS to RIDE. Within their compositions, vocals and melodies also evoke the golden age of British Shoegaze, reminiscent of iconic bands like JESUS & MARY CHAIN and SLOWDIVE.
Nevertheless, the sound of Van Couver defies easy labeling. It's akin to a fresh and almost exotic blossom that flourished within the extraordinary and irreplaceable musical landscape cultivated during their younger years.
During the Pandemic period the band took refuge in their lair, channeling their energies into the study of soundscapes and the crafting of fresh compositions. This long work gave birth to their debut album, “HOW’S THE WEATHER?", which saw the light of day in the summer of 2023.
If Liam Gallagher had smoked fewer cigarettes. If Pavement had been English. If Swervedriver had been less heavy. If The Jesus and Mary Chain had been less gloomy. If all of this had happened and come together in one great creative flow, two bands would have been born: Lotus Plaza and VAN COUVER. And in a parallel and surreal reality like Italian Switzerland, fortunately, all of this was possible.
In a time where only rap seems to bring satisfaction, a nine-song album puts you back in the saddle of a bike, ready to crash with a smile because you're in your 30s and have consciously decided not to become an adult and relive what the best of the '80s and '90s kindly offered you, adding the freshness that only someone with a monstrous desire to play can transmit in a song. Someone who has spent nights and early mornings in a few square meters between cables, software, and various gadgets, releasing what churns in their stomach, heart, and head since they heard the first guitar note. If we are the generation stuck in our own adolescence, perhaps there is a reason. Because it was damn beautiful. If our memories smell of distorted guitars, bike rides, backpacks on one shoulder, old video games, early synthesizers, faded T-shirts, and perpetual melancholy, then we might as well give them the exceptionally updated version of all this, and among the best you can find out there is the album How's The Weather. A full, sincere sound, carefully crafted in its honestly DIY project, for atmospheres and philosophy. Favorite song: Marine.
- Chiara Fanetti, RSI
