Surface Noise

Surface Noise is the second LP in as many years from Noonday Underground, who in reality is tunesmith and producer Simon Dine. Together with a superb record collection and a host of guest vocalists, Dine serves up another aural treat for fans of Northern Soul, old-fashioned swing and supremely danceable psychedelia.

Daisy Martin, the sweet, sweet voice behind some of Noonday Underground’s past glories, is present and correct on the mesmeric liquid funk odyssey of ‘Go It Alone’; the supersmooth ‘When I Fall’; the sleepy-eyed melancholia of ‘Closing Time’; and the stomping ‘Boy Like A Timebomb’.

Modfather Paul Weller, Dine’s number one fan, turns up on two tracks. ‘I’ll Walk Right On’ is a straightforward shot of old-fashioned soul, with Weller in fine voice, while ‘Thunder Park’ is an off-kilter, otherworldly, string-drenched ballad that is not a million miles away from the spacial monstafunk of Gorillaz.

It’s not all about famous friends, though, as superb instrumentals like the cinematic and slightly psychedelic ‘The Noonday Sun’ or the Doris Day on steroids of ‘Hitch Your Wagon To The Stars’ illustrate that the musical intelligence behind these magical mystery tours is Dine’s alone.

Surface Noise sometimes plays more like a compilation than a collection of songs from the same artist, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, since you’re never in any danger of getting bored. Irony-free, cleverly arranged catchy tunes, this is a very welcome breath of fresh air.