Great Impression, The
Sparkadia’s new album, the follow-up to their 2008 debut Postcards, is The Great Impression. A record of fierce intent and purpose yet tender in its delivery; it’s an epic work of smart pop that features the singles ‘China’ and ‘Talking Like I’m Falling Downstairs’. Inspiration and collaboration on this clutch of new songs – songs written by frontman Alex Burnett in the back of cabs, on planes and in dodgy hotel rooms thousands of miles from anywhere called home – came from songwriter/producer Mark Tieku (Florence And The Machine, CocknBullKid), who Alex tracked down online. The pair holed up for two months in a tiny studio in East London and created The Great Impression, with Alex playing almost all the instruments, including the interesting usage of gongs, metal scaffolding and scrap metal that doubled up as cymbals. The result is an album of songs that cover break-ups, delusions of grandeur, perception and reality and emotional breaking points. Cinematic, vast and evocative, it’s an album that’s highly anticipated for very good reason. In Sparkadia great things are afoot.
