From the beginning of 2016, Beach Baby have been featured widely on critics lists touting which acts are going to come to the forefront of the UK music scene, and this London based act have flourished under the expectation. I first came across them a year ago in a crowded room at the Green Door Store, where they supported Hooton Tennis Club, and you could immediately see there was something special in the four-piece. The effortless wistful charm in each and every one of the tacks they played was extremely moreish and it left everyone in the room wanting to hear more. Since then the band, who all met at Goldsmith University, have released an array of fantastic singles as well as taking the UK festival circuit by storm, so hopes were high for Beach Baby’s debut LP, No Mind No Money.

You start as you mean to go on and ‘Limousine’ certainly sets the bar high from the very begining. The driving drum beat and funky bass licks take you from zero to one hundred miles per hour in an instant, and you are smitten for the complete duration. The jangly guitar melody in this perfect indie pop opener is addictive and will have you bobbing, if not singing, in a matter of seconds. The guitar sound carries on over to the next track ‘Lost Soul’, which is where Beach Baby have been getting their Mac DeMarco references from. Classic Beatles “Ooohh’s” ring blissfully in a track that shows the bands impressive lyricism, painting a picture of the anguish of “feeling like a spectator in your own life”. The title track, ‘No Mind No Money’, typifies their talent for a catchy beat, a sweet melody and luscious harmonies. Taking the best of 80s and 90s power chords, dreamy synths and a tasty solo reigning supreme in showing what the band is capable of.

The groovy bassline in ‘Sleeperhead’ hits the twilight period – the album is in full-flow and you suddenly realize that all is well in life. That moment when the drink is flowing at a party, no one is crying and there is even a warm summer breeze keeping people mellow – however, once you hit that peak there is nowere else to go other than down and ‘Smoke Won’t Get Me High’ starts things slowing down by being the voice of a disconcerting and languorous time in their lives, which any young person could relate to in some measure.

Whereas previously released singles have long gained the seal of approval from fans, the unearthed songs on the No Mind No Money album shows a newly emerged assurance from the band. Tracks like ‘Hot Weather’ and ‘Powderbaby’ mix soft synth sounds of the 80s and a dreamy 90s post-punk edge, giving light to what is to come from Beach Baby. Album closer ‘How Lucky You Are’ makes for a truly triumphant finale. The chorus guitar doused in reverb and the lead singer’s charismatic warm vocals is a welcome invitation into a hazy daydream-malaise of inviting tones that will ring around your head for days to come.

It is indeed a very good album by a very good band, reminding me of acts that had similar high quality debut albums (Kasabian, The Maccabees, Bloc Party or Jamie T) – could they go on to have the same celebrated success? I definitely think so. With the albums sunny disposition now turning into the nostalgic sound of summer and the weeks of youthful careless thought you wait all year to feel again, the album’s title track perfectly sums this up, “I have no mind, no money / I have no mind, no money / Who cares”.
Iain Lauder

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