If you’re anything like me, few things are more exciting than discovering great new dream pop. So when I first heard Penny 67’s EP numismatic, I felt immediately drawn to it as the promise of some dreamy new soundscapes was too good to ignore. As the genre goes, Penny 67’s music isn’t exciting in the lively sense, but more like the kind of quiet and cinematic thrill you feel when looking at some old, blurred photos. Excitement probably isn’t the right word; it’s more of an entrancement: layers of dreamy, reverbed instrumentation blanketed by lush noise.
Numismatic is the second EP from the Canadian dream pop/shoegaze outfit, both released this year. Other details about the group, or perhaps a solo act, are unknown. Their music is simply on the internet. It lacks any written descriptions or personnel credits. They hail merely from Ontario, a city in the Canadian province that is as well-known as their names. However, I find this disconnect not the least bit frustrating. The music lives on its own, with the only details about its creators coming from the songs themselves.
Numismatic opens with the track “Isopropyl”, the longest on the EP by nearly two minutes. Its long, drawn-out, ethereal guitar chords start the song in a reverbated wall of noise. It’s perhaps the most traditionally shoegazy-sounding song on the EP, with some hints of Spacemen 3-esque space rock. The loud and bouncy drums, along with the flanged guitars, push the vocals to the background.
The same elements are present in “Steel”, the second song on the EP. However, it is a bit slower and drawn out in a way that complements each other more. It feels inspired more by the Cocteau Twins than traditional shoegaze acts, as does the rest of the EP. Personally, “Lathe” is the standout track. Its melancholy guitar and light vocals complement each other beautifully, as if Red House Painters and Love Spirals Downward had a baby. “Molton” closes out the EP in the Cocteau Twins-inspired guitar and drums style of “Steel”.
The guitar work on numismatic is what truly stands out. It is an ethereal wash of noise that almost plays the role of a backing synth pad on many occasions. It creates layered noise that flirts with ambient pop while keeping a shoegazy pulse. Overall, this is an exciting release for any fans of dream pop or shoegaze. With two EPs released to date, I would love to see a crisply produced full-length from Penny 67 that builds upon the rich potential from numismatic.
Written by C.S. Comfort
