Amanti - Neutron Star

Up until a couple of months ago, Amanti might just have been Aberdeen’s best kept musical secret. Under the moniker of Tom, the singer-songwriter released an impressive catalogue of tracks, but earlier this year he wiped the slate clean and returned with a new name as the first signing to promoter-turned-label Headache. Neutron Star is the first taste of what’s to come, with an album following in 2014, and things are looking good. Really good.

Coming in at under two minutes, Neutron Star is wee gem; a short sharp burst of upbeat pop. Reminiscent of Marmaduke Duke at their off-kilter best, it’s got sweet synth lines, battered acoustic guitars and a catchy, catchy chorus that’ll stick in your head for days. Even after listening to it 10 times in a row, I’d still happily press play one more time.

The cheerily named Everyone Is Dead That You’ve Ever Loved backs up the title track. Double the length and more laid-back, it provides a nice contrast to the high-octane main event and is equally as great. The second b-side, a remix by T_A_M is well executed but didn’t really do it for me: it’s just not my thing.

If the rest of Amanti’s debut album is as strong as this, then colour me excited. Neutron Star is a killer first single that deserves to be heard and enjoyed by music lovers across the land.

Neutron Star by Amanti is out now as a free download via Headache. Get it from Bandcamp.

ES