GIRLS.SPEAK.FRENCH RELEASE ELECTRIFYING NEW SINGLE

THE GLASGOW QUARTET TIPPED AS ‘BANDS TO WATCH IN 2024’ | BY CORIN MCDONALD

Kicking off 2024 with a casually fresh burst of pure indie charm, the Glasgow quartet GIRLS.SPEAK.FRENCH have released their fourth single ‘Idea of You’. Having been recognised by BBC Introducing and also ranked 4th on Jim Gellatly’s ‘Bands to Watch in 2024’ on Amazing Radio, it’s no surprise that their popularity is ever growing. Consisting of drummer; Sam Lomas, vocalist; Joshua Campbell, bassist; Daniel Northfield and guitarist; Giacomo Matvichuk, GIRLS.SPEAK.FRENCH have rapidly made their name known in the local Scottish music scene after forming in late 2022.

‘Idea of You’ is a distinctive splinter of not-so-affectionate romanticism within the masses of doting love songs that have been released on Valentine’s Day. The track begins with a slow swell that invites the audience in with a tantalising tease and persuades you to believe that you’re on the verge of tangible brilliance. The directional vocal instantly draws the listener in and builds a connection with them, furthered by the sincere, conversational lyricism that tell the story of what the band describe as a ‘completely relevant loveless’ tale. Even the cover art, a scrapbooked painting on canvas in the style of Gregory Radionov, cleverly expresses the creativity seeping through this track.

There is a beautiful partnership between relaxed instrumental elements within the verses and the high energy, driven choruses in which the drums intensify with wide, crashing cymbals. Listeners will definitely devour this nostalgic eruption of indie motifs and flickers of rock and alternative pop. Effortless talent oozes from the way they manipulate their instruments to deliver infectious melodies that engrave themselves on your brain after the first listen. Campbell’s deliciously smooth, rich vocals are carried so powerfully yet still hold a sense of mellow grace. It is crystal clear that each of the musicians are extremely skilled on their individual instruments and this track provides room for them each to display their talent.

A particularly prominent feature in this single is the authentic storytelling embedded in the lyrics; the song has an optimistic beginning – “Catch a flight” – this is sung with airy, blissful harmonies that provoke a joyful feeling. Amongst clean guitar licks and groovy basslines that become your new heartbeat, the words “I can see clearly that the idea of you is getting in my head” soar above in an irresistible rhythmic pattern in the chorus sections. The guitar and saxophone perform a compelling game of call and response, each echoing different phrases and essentially nurturing the flow of the song. The addition of the saxophone is strikingly pleasing to the listener as it provides a unique, luxurious sound and fuses genres together.

Hatching a new type of retro music with this earworm, it is undeniable that indie-lovers will be flocking to catch this group live in Audio, Glasgow on April 13th to experience this remarkable tune live. Fans would kill to have grabbed tickets to see their favourite big bands in such an intimate venue before they ‘made it’, so why not catch this incredibly talented group before they start selling out stadiums? On a high after a sold out gig at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut and the swift showcase of love for their new hit, GIRLS.SPEAK.FRENCH are most certainly one to keep an eye on – trust me.