Leif Erikson's explorative indie rock hits new heights on the glimmering, timeless "Real Stuff"

01 November 2016, 09:15 | Written by Dan Carson

(Tracks)

(Leif Erikson)

Glimmering with washed-out hues of Kurt Vile and The War on Drugs, Leif Erikson's "Real Stuff" is an instant, timeless classic.

Bands from London have the propensity to flare up and burn out quickly; so close to the epicentre of the industry, the pressure cooker environment is a hindrance, more often than not. Leif Erikson buck that trend entirely, setting their own pace with some of the most carefully conceived indie rock being made by any UK band this year.

The five-piece's new single "Real Stuff" is their fourth track, completing a meticulous journey from their late 2015 debut "Looking For Signs" to the present day. ""Real Stuff" is a straight rock song, it's my utopian dream," explains lead vocalist Sam. That quiet sense of wanderlust pervades everything Leif Erikson do. Hazy riff sequences merge into wide open expanses of glimmering War on Drugs-esque bass and drums with Sam sleekly intoning "I just want to live a simple life" at the peak of a chorus so lofty it's practically touching the clouds. No other new British band make heartfelt, soaring statements of intent quite like Leif Erikson.