SINGLE REVIEW: Scaramanga – “Simple Love”

By Jay Roberts

“Simple Love” by brand new Glaswegian electronic two Piece, Scaramanga, is the perfect marriage between Electro-pop and Modern Indie that we all needed. For fans of Bloc Party, this record wouldn’t sound out of place on the likes of Intimacy or Silent Alarm.

The song starts off with a catchy drum and bass pattern with a retro 8-bit sounding synth lead line over the top. Straight away it sounds very trance like and with the synth parts alone could get you lost in the bass and melody. The vocals are very distinct and suit this track well – a young Bowie comes to mind on hearing them. Overall it’s an easy song to listen to, with the synth riffs, and video game like guitar licks – it doesn’t take much at all to get your head bopping and your foot tapping along.

The lyrics really echo a dancy, Indietronica style track – the extreme reverb on the vocals give to an 80s vibe and it really comes together. Even the lyric “simple love” has a big impact on making us think of a better time and of that someone special you just really want to spend time with.

After the first chorus there’s a glorious synth solo using a whole host of effects, which has a feeling of letting go and making you need to dance along. As the song progresses the vocals become more and more throw away, more loose and uncaring as if reminiscing of better times past. Personally I love the the lyrics on the whole as they really make my imagination run wild.

The break after the second chorus is a very clever touch as a guitar delay is looped, a second guitar heavily effected plays some lead licks and all I can say is it sounds like a dream and its welcome refrain the leads back perfectly into the last chorus.

Definitely a track to check out if like me you love everything electro-indie. The balance of retro synth and modern guitars is a combination that really can’t be beaten and all round this is a track, funnily enough, to make you think of that special someone you have a “Simple Love” with .