reviews

The Spanish band The Royal Landscaping Society sound as much like a Sarah Records band as legally allowed. The duo's new EP, Fractals is out now via Matinée Recordings, and it's superbly realized indie-pop. Elegant? Yes. Robust and melodic? Yeah, that too. "When There's Nothing Left to Look Forward To" aches with the tenderness of a songs by Razorcuts, while "Fractals" has a lumbering hook which faintly recalls certain numbers from New Order's early days. The piano-anchored "Untitled" takes things in another direction. This one might be my favorite cut here as it's powerfully evocative while being utterly simple in construction. All of these are gems and The Royal Landscaping Society are firmly on my radar now with this set. Fractals is out now via Matinée Recordings. —A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed

Heartbreak emotions, intricate patterns, and dreamy soundscapes. Reportedly, there is a peak in breakups around Valentine’s Day, so a heartbreak release during this period from Spanish indie pop duo The Royal Landscaping Society makes total sense. On their three-track Fractals EP, Cris Romero (vocals, guitar, six string bass, keys, machines) and David Vidal (bass) combine beautiful, dreamy music with beautiful, clever lyrics. The title song starts off strong (“All my recurring mistakes and sore regrets // Lay out a geometric design // Unfulfilled expectations distinctly for // A cyclic pattern of defeat”), and it does not let up after that. The stripped back Untitled ending (“Every second painfully slow // And I can’t help but miss us”) encourages reflection. However, it is opening track When There’s Nothing Left To Look Forward To that stands out here—perfect synergy between guitars, electronics and vocals, enchanting and mesmerizing. Fractals is out now digitally and on limited 7″ vinyl through Matinée Recordings. —Add To Wantlist

Spanish indiepop band The Royal Landscaping Society release their new 'Fractals' EP on February 14 2025 via Matinée Recordings. The label have made the lead track When There’s Nothing Left To Look Forward To available for preview. It’s a captivating, melodic and swirling track thanks to the layer of guitars and the mesmerising synths. The words tell a story of loss and deep longing which may not be the right topic for its release day but that will do me! It’s backed with Fractals and Untitled and can be purchased direct from the label in vinyl and digital formats. —Records I Like

The last we heard from Spain’s The Royal Landscaping Society was when the dropped Means of Production, but great news came across the Internet today that they’d have a new 7″ to offer us on Valentines Day. Our first listen has the band working in the synthetic region, letting the steadied beat serve as the foundational element for the vocals; the vocals embrace the band’s pop affinity, coiling themselves around a melodic heat. For me, the finishing touch is what makes the tune perfect, so listen to until the end and wait for the guitar to ring out, offering up this bold burst of energy that leaves the hairs standing up on the end of your arms. Fractals EP will be out February 14th via Matinée Recordings. —Austin Town Hall

Ci chiedevamo proprio che fine avessero fatto i nostri spagnoli preferiti, ed eccoli qui! L’attesissimo nuovo EP 7″ “Fractals” dei beniamini dell’indiepop The Royal Landscaping Society è in uscita il 14 febbraio. Il primo assaggio è la sublime (a dire poco) “When There’s Nothing Left To Look Forward To” che ci fa davvero ben sperare sulla qualità degli altri 2 brani e, nello stesso tempo, ci fa anche un po’ disperare perché questa è una band che purtroppo non produce così tanta musica come vorremmo, ma è sempre molto parca nelle uscite. “When There’s Nothing Left To Look Forward To” è una canzone ipnotica che sovrappone chitarre a tastiere ed elettronica carezzevole, per produrre i minuti più accattivanti della band fino ad ora. “Fractals” incorpora perfettamente il concetto matematico di ripetizione di schemi geometrici in forma registrata, ed è stata scritta subito dopo aver visto un documentario sulla relazione tra matematica e natura. Il singolo si muove sulle coordinate preferite della band, che, ancora una volta si conferma degna erede di eroi come Brighter e Harper Lee. Attenzione, il 7″ è limitato a 500 copie su classico vinile nero in una splendida custodia con un design basato sulla sequenza di Fibonacci. —Indie for Bunnies