Ohhh, and the ‘Naki has done it for me again.

The Mara return with a single so unlike their previous one I would think it was a different band, if I didn’t know better. This is a true talent. New single Candy Sun is a dreamy, ethereal Brit-pop ode written by frontman Jordan Jones. From the EPK: “It’s funny actually, the song name came first, inspired by the pattern name of my Ernie Ball guitar strap ‘Candy sun’. I thought… that should be a song name, then all these memories and emotions associated with a Candy Sun started flooding in. Namely memories of desert sunsets in Oman where I once lived. The song is about my desire to escape the expectations put on us by the world and live out my dreams. It aims to empower people to question the norm and societal expectations, and to do the thing that sets their heart on fire.”

We have some gorgeously applied piano to intro the song, really poignantly composed and well balanced. The verses contain some imaginative orchestration and a dreampop-like vocal that sits inside the mix, giving me the vibe of the singer being sat comfortably on a velvet couch, being benignly swaddled by the accompanying musicians. Then the chorus hits and turns it into something akin to a Keane composition, with complex melodies and an oh so commercially viable direction. The guitars sitting inside the single, together with the percussion, gives me an unexpected feel of indie greats of the past like James and, maybe surprisingly, The Jesus And Mary Chain.

Make no mistake about this single. It’s extremely catchy and can sit in a number of genre specific playlists. Indie, dreampop, guitar pop. It was recorded at Swampshack Studio. Rodney Fisher (Goodshirt) produced, and the quality shows. The band says they like the way bands like Coldplay and Thirty Seconds To Mars achieve the atmospheric feels to so many of their songs. Well, The Mara has achieved that here. A very well executed performance by the band, with special mention to keys player Barbora Varnaite and lead guitar Jason Vinod. Taking nothing away from the other excellent band members, I must add.

We have a change of feel with the emotive, subdued verses leading into the soaring choruses. It gives the listener an audio journey through the emotions generated by Jordan‘s mind’s eye, and we’re left without doubt that he means it with a vocal performance that is a genuine stand-out. This guy has some set of pipes!

I’m hearing tell of a promo video. Rubbing my hands for it, frankly!

Well done once again to this interesting, talented, original and imaginative band. I’m very much a fan of The Mara now, and I look forward to more. Check them out on all socials, and stick their songs on your playlists; or check them out on the Flash-trax Spotty Fly. Massive thumbs up!