HighSchool – New York, Paris And London

HighSchool are a band who very much wear their influences on their sleeves, a feature exemplified by new single ‘New York, Paris and London’. The driving bass juxtaposed with a twinkly, melodic guitar riff instantly brings Joy Division to mind, whereas frontman Rory Trobbiani’s vocals very much evoke The Smiths’ Morrissey. Do not confuse this with criticism, however; HighSchool are very much doing their own thing, introducing modern indie sensibilities to their more evident post-punk roots, which truly creates its own sound. It is actually very refreshing, in a musical landscape dominated by 90’s revival, to hear a group make something a little different.

The synths on this track are the icing on the instrumental cake. At first, they can be mistaken for horns due to the teasingly low mix with which they’re introduced. However, the synths quickly come to the forefront of the song, hooking in the listener. It’s this choice, along with the filter on Trobbiani’s voice, which add a little bit of spice to the production of the track.

Overall, I really enjoyed listening to this track, and think HighSchool has plenty of potential. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for their upcoming EP, to be released in early 2021 through Dalliance Recordings.

Dylan Smiler