Nothing is ever what it seems to be and we might as well find comfort in that, Happyness is a London trio who reminds me more of American than British bands. Maybe that is their formula for success. UK media have been pumping up the hype around their debut, and Write In is their sophomore album. Sonically, they have a dreamy note supported by various flavors of American indie, from R.E.M to The Shins. Such a pompous and seductive music can infatuate any casual listener.
The album unfolds with Falling Down that has an extended intro in which main theme gradually develops before turning into a classic indie jam. The song is beautiful and you will instantly fall for it. The following The Reel Starts Again (Man As Ostrich) shows the band in a different light, although this one is also dressed in Beatles-like psychedelic. With Anytime, they are stepping into The Shins territory and kick their butts, while Through Windows is a soft piano ballade. As we move towards the end of the record, we get numbers that are pretty much balanced, but each one of them has an eccentric detail that makes it easy to differentiate them. So, it is clear that nothing is made by formula "find a melody and recycle it on loop".
Happyness is a band that will make you happy. Their dreamy sound is not so oniric to make you fall asleep as the music of the most boring and the most hyped band Cigarettes After Sex would. It is rather much more accomplished, rounded and meticulous, or let's just say - better. Some songs stand out, but not as much as to disrupt the concept of the album. Write In is a coherent album and Happyness is a band we should all keep our eyes on. Lyrically they hit the right spot every time, but musically they seem to dissolve into monotony, so it will be interesting to see which side is going to win. For now everything is good enough, and I am happy about it.
