Young Galaxy

After whetting appetites with a tour-only EP that showcased two songs from this debut, the latest addition to the Arts & Crafts family show great confidence with their dense epics. Well, maybe dense isn’t the word, as the songs move back and forth between shoegazer atmospherics and more straightforward indie rock. Despite the variety, the real power of this Montreal-based band comes when the songs get so lush you’ll wish you had a machete. Take "Come and See,” which starts out innocently enough but soon adds on the layers, where pounding drums, rip-roaring guitars and Stephen Ramsay’s reverb-heavy voice all swirl around in a Doves-esque vortex. Indeed, even when the tempo is upped, as on the catchy "Outside the City,” the band never lose their focus amidst their instrumental haze they love to get lost in. The original introduction to the band included two long, slow burn epics and it’s promising to note that Young Galaxy paint from a broader canvas. Fiercely confident and a real treat that slowly reveals its beauty after many listens, this debut will get you lost in the stars.

(Arts & Crafts, www.arts-crafts.ca)