Monday, March 9, 2020

“Smokescreen” by Tourists – A Song Feature


      Tourists are blessed with the ability to generate melodic hooks and are willing to layer them. In the first few seconds of “Smokescreen,” a foundational bass line is joined by a guitar riff that combines the upper-frequency play often heard in Surf Rock with the allure of shoegazed Dream Rock. The contrast of the low-register bass against the high-register guitar is an early announcement that “Smokescreen” places a premium on texturing.

       Four years ago, Tourists released a single, “Quiet Room,” that included a snippet from an interview that caused a stir when the question “What would you say to God” was answered without concern for possible consequences. “Smokescreen” is also intellectually intriguing. Tourists explain that the inspiration of the single is from a TED talk by Graham Hancock. The talk, “The War on Consciousness,” took a position similar to Timothy Leary’s – an adult should be allowed to responsibly use hallucinogenic compounds for self-improvement and spiritual growth. Tourists describe the hypocrisy of the drugs laws as “the repression of our rights to a meaningful experience that gives us an alternative perspective on our lives and our true meaning.”

     This is the second single from an upcoming album, “Another State,” which is expected in late 2020. The songs are mixed by Daniel Schlett (The War on Drugs, DIIV, Here We Go Magic). The characteristics of the DIIV guitar are apparent in “Smokescreen.”

     Tourists are from Torquay, UK. The members are Jamie Giles (vocals/guitar), Scott Morton (drums), Matthew White (bass), Lloyd Bastow (guitar) and Tom Wilkinson (synthesizer).

      “Smokescreen” by Tourists – For streaming and download options: https://ditto.fm/tourists



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