Julia Mason
With a drummer who is just 14 years old, it would be easy to dismiss Colchester-based four-piece Anorak Patch as a novelty, but this would be to completely underestimate their talent. Keyboardist Effie Lawrence formed the group in late 2019 with high school friends Luca Ryland (drums) and brother Oscar (guitar), along with bass player Eleanor Helliwell. In 2020 they released their debut singles “Beans” and “6 Week Party”, making the BBC6Music Playlist. And they begin 2021 where they left off by releasing their new single “Irate”.
“Irate” has a heavy, mature sound which belies the young ages of the members of the band. Sitting firmly at the rockier end of the indie spectrum it was written during the first lockdown. It describes the frustrations of the pandemic and the impact on their lives. Effie and Oscar had just had their exams cancelled, and this track reflects the confusion many of us were feeling.
The track begins with a Queens of the Stone Age/Foo Fighters style thrashing drum and off-beat vocals. About two-thirds through “Irate” the pace slows right down, as though to allow for a moments pause for thought. Self-reflection is something many us have been doing as our lives are changed due to the pandemic. A repetition of “Simon says, what is in your head? What is in your head?” builds and builds to the end of the track, emphasising the current confusion and uncertainty. The guitars’ final strum is a pitch higher than we would expect, a brilliant method to finish with almost a musical question mark.
Bassist Eleanor remarked “we wanted to write something more meaningful, something about the paralysing times we are in now. However we also wanted it to convey how we have hope for the future. “no vapour trails above” shows how we were trying to stay optimistic.”
“Irate”, available now on Nice Swan Records, has already been aired by Steve Lamacq on BBC Radio 6Music and with age on their side, Anorak Patch are surely here to stay.
