Twin Sister – Vampires With Dreaming Kids/Colour Your Life

Twin Sister - Vampires With Dreaming Kids/Colour Your Life

I can’t decide if Twin Sister are a lazy afternoon’s daydream or a band from under the sea. Their sound is sleepy and hazy, invoking the feeling of a Sunday snooze. Andrea Estrella’s vocals are central to their sound and are carried on a sea of drones and echoes that, by the time they reach you, are washed out from their journey up from the ocean bed. A lovely picture, right? The only problem is whether they’ll last a full album or two before wafting away completely.

From Brooklyn via Long Island the five-piece have been making waves recently and the release of this double EP sits them on solid ground within the lo-fi world of indie pop, currently lapping at our feet. ‘Dry Hump’ wistfully kicks off Vampires With Dreaming Kids and immediately demonstrates the submerged quality of Twin Sister. It bobs and glides, backed by whale chatter, as Estrella blows lonely lyrics over its surface. ‘Ginger’ is as upbeat as things gets as it booms into life doing a lot to soften the blow red heads took after MIA’s murderous video.

Guitarist Eric Cardona takes over vocal duties on ‘Nectarine’. He maintains the soft tone set by Estrella but brings an element of naivety that some will find sweet and others a bit too twee. ‘I Want A House’ sets a twinkling groove that brings proceedings on Twin Sister’s first effort to an understated but very pleasing close. It’s a promising effort from a band still exploring and defining their sound.

Next up is Colour Your Life, which sees a definite progression from Vampires With Dreaming Kids. The tracks retain a dream like feel but are more confidently structured and Estrella’s breathy vocals offer more in the way of melody. A low hum opens ‘The Other Side Of Your Face’, which is gently transcended by a firm beat and airy guitar. Crashing drums descend to create a muffled wall of sound, opening only to let Estrella in before consuming her. ‘Lady Daydream’ exemplifies Twin Sister’s sound with Estrella mumbling “It could all be a dream” as the sound of a bubbling brook creeps in.

‘Milk and Honey’ shows a darker side to Twin Sister as it tries to purvey, both musically and lyrically, the frustration inherent in relationships. It succeeds to varying degrees but, at the very least, gives evidence that the band aren’t one dimensional. Meanwhile, the sexy bass line, quick fire guitar and yelpy vocals of ‘All Around And Away We Go’ gives the EP its stand out track. It brings back the feel good factor by building tension effectively, intermittently offset by sickly sweet lyrics “Merry go round sends a wave of good humour/Feel the power of my many destinies/They’ll all come true”.

Together, these two EPs make a strong statement for Twin Sister. Their sound is malleable and should mature well as the bands grow in confidence. The reliance on Estrella’s vocals is, at the moment, fine but will need to show development on future releases. It’s a lovely thing but may not have the substance to live up to multiple releases and listens. All in all, Twin Sister aren’t smashing any boundaries but offer an intriguing listen and are definitely one to keep an eye on.

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